Being two goals down, the Netherlands had essentially lost their tactical focus.
From tactical bankruptcy to being two goals down, they couldn't understand why the match had turned out this way.
The Netherlands players felt their form hadn't changed much, maintaining a very stable state throughout the World Cup.
But the problem was, Croatia seemed to be on fire.
With every defensive play, they put in their full effort to mark, yet they still couldn't stop Croatia's relentless offensive.
The left wing was one issue, but Rakitić, Perisic, and Mandžukić in other positions were also problems.
Croatia's overall combat power seemed to have doubled compared to the start of the World Cup.
"They're in hot form!"
Bešić couldn't help but exclaim.
Even to him, the Head Coach, there was almost nothing to criticize about the Croatian players' performance in this match.
Just as he said, their form was hot.
Van Stoyak, beside him, also nodded. Since the start of this match, Croatia's overall performance had been outstanding.
The most crucial aspect was their clear game plan.
Every pass had a strong purpose, not a blind transfer, but a continuous maneuver targeting the Netherlands' defensive weaknesses until the defense was completely torn open.
Moreover, almost every player was in good form and clear-headed, which was extremely rare and valuable.
These factors combined led to their current two-goal lead.
Of course, in this state, they needed to be even more careful. It wasn't that good form guaranteed a win. Carelessness at this point could not only lead to a loss of form but even a reversal of the match.
For this reason, as the coaching staff, they had to be even more vigilant at this time.
Of course, the good news was that they were two goals up, and halftime was approaching.
After 40 minutes, the Netherlands clearly showed an eagerness to succeed, with every attack being very rash. Even Robben was trying his best to send the ball into the penalty area, regardless of his teammates' running lines, as if it wasn't his problem if he passed the ball and his teammates didn't arrive.
And this emotion was widespread within the Netherlands team.
Croatia was delighted about this; they wished for the Netherlands to have internal strife leading to the match's collapse.
Suker also stopped increasing the intensity of his attacks. A match has a rhythm, requiring a process of varying intensity. If one kept stepping on the accelerator, it could cause their own team to completely break down.
While roving in the midfield, occasionally dropping back to provide support and link-up play for the midfield, for the rest of the time, Suker's biggest role was to press high, ensuring the Netherlands' defensive line dared not rashly cross Croatia's half.
The pace of the match seemed to slow down.
The Netherlands fans were anxious; they hoped the Netherlands could score, even just one goal!
At least that would narrow the gap.
But these were very difficult things to achieve, as Croatia was currently focusing on countering the Netherlands' offensive.
As for the Croatian fans, they were very happy!
A two-goal lead, while not enough to make them celebrate victory prematurely, could calm their hearts considerably.
At the very least, they had seen the light of victory and hoped to keep the pressure on.
They were truly satisfied with the Croatian players' performance in this match.
The Netherlands was the uncrowned king of the World Cup; they were a strong European team!
Especially after the case of slaughtering Spain in the group stage, the Croatian players' hearts were still somewhat uneasy.
But this group of Croatian players used two excellent players to show them how strong their team was.
Even if the opponent was the Netherlands, they could suppress them and gain the advantage!
Beep!
A sharp whistle sounded.
Van Persie looked up blankly; he knew what that whistle meant.
Halftime was here; 45 minutes of play had ended.
But Van Persie was confused as to why this half had passed so quickly.
He hadn't done anything, yet time had passed too quickly, and they were already two goals down in that time.
His face showed unwillingness and shame, but also helplessness.
He could only wait to return to the changing room for further adjustments.
"And so the first half of the match concludes, with Croatia currently leading the Netherlands 2-0!"
Krauchivich's voice was strong and resonant, with a hint of joy.
After all, with his team two goals up, why would a commentator not be happy?
He was a Croatian fan first, and a commentator second.
"Throughout the first half, the Netherlands' offense had little effect on us, whereas our counterattacks repeatedly succeeded!"
"However, upon closer analysis of the Netherlands team, compared to active offense, they are more adept at counterattacking, using sharp offensive-defensive transitions and wing attacks to open up gaps!"
"But the problem is, we didn't give them such opportunities, or rather, by the time the Netherlands reacted, they had already conceded, forced to attack. If they want to waste time, we are even more willing to oblige."
"These are all reasons caused by conceding goals too early. Let's see how Van Gaal's Netherlands adjusts in the second half."
"As for us, I don't think we need too many changes. We are playing very well, extremely well! We just need to continue to stabilize the situation, just like always, steadily push the match forward, and we will win the match!"
After Krauchivich finished speaking, his heart was burning with excitement.
Winning the match meant reaching the World Cup Final!
As soon as he thought of this, he couldn't help but get goosebumps all over his body.
The World Cup Final had never been so close to them!
And for the Croatian fans, they all had the same feeling: anticipation, but also some fear and nervousness.
They were just afraid of any unexpected turn of events!
"That pass was really good!"
Rakitić immediately flattered Suker upon returning to the changing room.
Flattery led to goals. As Croatia's most central player, Suker had the ball for the longest time and was the most crucial, so more flattery meant a higher chance of him scoring.
Suker didn't respond but turned to Modrić and said, "Be extra careful of Robben in the second half!"
Modrić took a sip of water and nodded, "I've been watching him. In the first half, he was tied up. Pranjic and I were both chasing him, not letting him cut inside, but in the second half, Pranjic's stamina will drop, and he will have a chance to cut inside!"
Robben's cut-ins had always been a headache for opponents. In the first half, he was tied up and couldn't perform to his usual standard.
But in the second half, Pranjic's stamina would drop, leading to fluctuations in his form, and then it would be uncertain.
Of course, if the Netherlands made a substitution first, then Croatia could also strengthen the left-back position to continue limiting Robben.
Moreover, this probability was not small, as after they took the lead, the Netherlands was the impatient side wanting to make changes.
At this moment, Bešić and Van Stoyak walked in, and they began to plan the tactics for the second half.
"In the second half, we will continue with our current tactics, but with some minor adjustments. Firstly, the formation will change to 4-3-3. Suker and Perisic need to narrow down to increase midfield possession stability. Secondly, when Rakitić pushes forward, someone must cover his position!"
"Finally…" Bešić looked at Mandžukić and said, "In the second half, you don't need to drop back to receive the ball anymore!"
Huh?
Mandžukić was stunned for a moment.
Not letting him drop back to receive the ball, what did that mean?
But very quickly, his eyes lit up sharply.
"Are you saying?"
Bešić nodded, "Haven't you always wanted to play as a target man? This match will fulfill that for you. In the second half, you will stay in their defensive line and penalty area, constantly jumping for me!"
Upon hearing this, Mandžukić grinned. It was an exciting thing, but Bešić made it sound a bit strange.
Dujmović, beside him, quipped, "Now you'll truly become Super Mario!"
The others also burst into laughter!
But Mandžukić didn't care; as long as he got to play as a target man, it was at least more enjoyable than being a pivot, and the probability of scoring was higher.
During halftime, both sides made some adjustments.
The Netherlands didn't make any substitutions. Van Gaal, for some reason, didn't make any personnel changes.
And since the Netherlands didn't substitute, Croatia, being the leading side, naturally wouldn't either.
However, both sides clearly made some tactical adjustments.
"Halftime is over, and the second half is about to begin!"
Krauchivich looked at the players from both sides walking out of the tunnel, his face full of tension.
The decisive moment has arrived!
The next 45 minutes will completely determine the ownership of the World Cup final ticket!
Although he was two goals ahead now, Krauchivich was still a bit nervous. This kind of thing cannot be completely relieved until the final moment of the match is confirmed.
However, when the camera zoomed in on Suker's close-up, looking at his calm face, he felt much more at ease.
The Croatian fans shared the same emotions.
Entering the second half, the atmosphere clearly changed.
The smell of gunpowder grew thicker.
The Netherlands knew very well that if they failed to turn the tide in the next 45 minutes, they would be completely out of the World Cup.
Having made it to the semifinals with such difficulty, they were unwilling to leave like this.
Therefore, they had to fight for it no matter what!
Of course, Croatia would not give them such an opportunity.
The match had not yet begun, but the tense, explosive atmosphere had already spread.
The Referee also took a deep breath. He knew that the difficulty of officiating the match would greatly increase in the coming period.
His experience told him that both sides would engage in intense physical confrontation in the second half.
Beep!
The Referee decisively blew his whistle, signaling the official start of the second half.
The Netherlands kicked off the second half.
"This is the 2014 Brazil World Cup semifinal match between Croatia and the Netherlands. After the first half, Croatia is currently leading the Netherlands 2-0. In the next 45 minutes, both teams will do their best to fight for the World Cup final ticket, making their final push!"
The match had reached a hot stage.
After kicking off, the Netherlands' overall movement became more stable.
Obviously, some discussions had taken place during halftime, and it was not yet known what specific changes had been made, but Croatia still needed to respond calmly.
As the advantaged side, Croatia was not in a hurry, so they adopted a more stable defensive formation.
They wanted to see what the Netherlands intended to do first.
As for the Netherlands, they continuously probed, with the ball constantly being transferred back and forth at Sneijder's feet. Clearly, Sneijder was acting as the commander of the front field.
However, continuous transfers did not create any cracks in Croatia's defense, let alone break through it.
In this situation, Sneijder decided to pass the ball to Robben.
As the player in the best form for the Netherlands in this World Cup, Robben's role was similar to Suker's, both being special players who excelled in individual combat.
They relied on powerful individual ability to create openings.
"Just as we thought!"
Suker immediately made a judgment after seeing the Netherlands' direction.
The Netherlands still intended to attack through Robben, using the right wing's offense to open up the game.
However, Croatia had already prepared a response!
As soon as Robben received the ball on the wing and was about to start, Modrić actively moved in to restrict him.
Secondly, Pranjic also blocked from the front.
Most crucially, Suker had also retreated.
"Suker also retreated?"
Krauchivich said in surprise.
In Croatia's matches, Suker would not retreat to defend unless it was absolutely necessary.
As the strongest attacking point, Suker's role was still on the offensive end.
But seeing this scene, compared to not understanding, Krauchivich felt more stable, incredibly stable.
Even at the cost of Suker retreating, they were determined to stifle the Netherlands' right-wing attack.
Before the Netherlands made any substitutions, Croatia would not allow the right wing to be effective.
Even if the Netherlands made a substitution, Croatia would make a corresponding substitution at right-back to continue to lock down Robben.
It could be said that Croatia's current tactical approach was very clear.
Bang!
Under the encirclement of the three players, Robben could not hope to complete a breakthrough or shake them off.
The ball was poked away by Pranjic, while Suker and Modrić, one on the left and one on the right, continued to block Robben behind them, continuously cutting off passing options.
Only after the ball was finally controlled by Croatia did they each return to their positions.
"Damn it! Damn it!"
Robben angrily punched the ground.
This match was incredibly uncomfortable to play, as if he was being targeted.
No!
He was being targeted!
"Robben is having a very tough time! Croatia's tactical focus on defense is clearly on Robben. Obviously, they know very well who poses the greatest threat for the Netherlands at this stage. I think at this point, shouldn't players in other positions also step up?"
The Netherlands commentator eagerly awaited Sneijder or Van Persie to step up.
Both of them were in their prime around 2010.
Although they have declined somewhat now, they still maintain a certain level of playing ability.
However, a burst of form is still rare!
But in the current situation, not all the pressure can be placed on Robben.
Moreover, he is being targeted!
At this moment, the Netherlands commentator suddenly thought of Suker.
Perhaps this is Suker's true worth!
The targeting Suker faced was no less than what Robben was experiencing in this match; in fact, it could be said to be the case in every match.
But there has never been news of Suker being successfully contained.
Robben is already one of the best players on this planet, and the matches Suker creates, their value, are even higher!
Bang!
Suker controlled the ball with his chest, and from the corner of his eye, he noticed someone approaching. He turned in the opposite direction, and when that person lunged to that side, Suker suddenly used the outside of his foot to drag the ball, turning again to the other side.
The continuous turns directly confused Kuyt.
However, the good news was that Suker did not push forward but instead horizontally transferred the ball to Rakitić again.
"Croatia is still focusing on ball possession. This style of play is reasonable. For Croatia, running down the clock is their most important task!"
"Conversely, for the Netherlands, they are the ones who need a goal the most at this moment!"
Croatia was not in a hurry, but the Netherlands was very eager.
What Croatia needed was for the Netherlands to gradually make mistakes in this eagerness.
Of course, although the Netherlands was very eager at the moment, they were still able to suppress their inner urgency.
Modrić transferred the ball again, then raised his hand and said, "No rush! Let's take our time!"
Watching Croatia's leisurely style of play, the Netherlands gnashed their teeth in frustration.
They wished Croatia would attack them, and ideally, such attacks would not be so rigorous, allowing them to launch counterattacks.
But Croatia would not give them such an opportunity.
If they wanted possession, they had to come and snatch it!
But even with all their efforts, the Netherlands could not win the ball in the attacking third.
Even if they did win the ball, it was in their own half, and by the time they won it and tried to launch a counterattack, Croatia had already fallen back into full defensive positions, and the opportunity was long gone.
Currently, the Netherlands still had not found a very good way to break through Croatia's defense.
However, they clearly had not given up and were still trying constantly.
But the longer the time dragged on, the more advantageous it became for Croatia.
"Make a substitution!"
Van Gaal pursed his lips and finally compromised.
He had originally planned to score a goal first and then make substitutions.
But looking at the current situation, if he didn't make a substitution, he might not even have the chance to do so later.
In the second half, at 55 minutes, the Netherlands made a substitution.
Van Persie came off, and Huntelaar came on.
Seeing Huntelaar, Suker's expression was slightly odd.
There were many rumors about internal discord within the Netherlands National Team, among which the most widespread was undoubtedly the 'Three Sticks' legend during the 2012 European Cup.
And the ultimate victim of the 'Three Sticks' was Huntelaar!
Of course, there were also rumors that Huntelaar found a taser and retaliated against Robben.
However, these were all media reports, and neither the Netherlands National Team nor the players themselves confirmed them.
But judging from the fact that no one from the Netherlands celebrated after Huntelaar scored, the conflict between him and other Dutch players still existed.
And at this moment, Van Gaal substituted Van Persie and brought on Huntelaar.
Wasn't this just further escalating the conflict!
Of course, none of this concerned Suker, but he did have a desire to gossip.
Unfortunately, among Real Madrid's main players, there were currently no Dutch players, so he had no way to get the inside scoop.