The Netherlands' 2014 World Cup chances took a massive blow during Sunday's match against Mexico, as Nigel De Jong was forced to leave the pitch with an injury within the first 10 minutes of their round of 16 match.
BBC's Ben Smith shared the news, as the powerful midfielder was substituted by Bruno Martins Indi, who had only just returned to first-team action following a concussion:
De Jong seemed to suffer a muscle problem, and it looked like the heat certainly did its part as the Dutch team decided to have a very short warm-up to keep their players fresh.
ESPN FC's Dermot Corrigan thought losing De Jong would be a devastating loss for the Netherlands:
The central midfielder is one of the team's most experienced players, and his physical presence on the pitch is vital to Louis van Gaal's 5-3-2 formation. Without the injured Kevin Strootman, De Jong was responsible for doing much of the Dutch's dirty work all on his own.
De Jong's absence means Daley Blind will move forward from his full-back spot, while Martins Indi will slide into the back line, per Duncan Castles of The Sunday Times:
El Tri look far more comfortable playing in the scorching heat the teams are facing on Sunday, putting heavy pressure on a young Dutch team struggling to get a grip in midfield. Losing De Jong won't help those struggles, and the favourites from Europe could be in some very serious trouble as this match progresses.
//from Bleacher Report http://ift.tt/1iJAPi4
via IFTTT June 29, 2014 at 09:22AM
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