Johannesburg, June 29 (DPA) Dutch fans have been on the road for weeks in South Africa and some have already started rolling into Port Elizabeth for Friday’s quarter-final clash with Brazil.
The vast majority of what has become known as the ‘Dutch Convoy’ will arrive over the next couple of days from Durban where the Netherlands defeated Slovakia 2-1 in the Round of 16.
There the Oranje will face a Selecao side that, following the clinical 3-0 dismissal of Chile at Ellis Park in Johannesburg, have been forced to move from their Johannesburg base for the first time since the tournament began.
‘We were very well settled in our hotel in a very favourable atmosphere and we are now going to have to move from city to city and hotel to hotel and this causes its own confusion,’ said Brazil coach Carlos Dunga.
‘We are now going to have to confront a new situation, a new reality.’
However, the Dutch would be foolish to believe that having to go on the road themselves will affect a Brazil side that has finally got into its stride in South Africa.
Dunga praised Holland’s long footballing tradition, describing the Dutch as ‘very similar’ to South American teams but the way his side dismantled Chile at will on Monday, this is hardly likely to give the 46-year-old many sleepless nights.
‘They are technically very capable and we have to be able to deal with that,’ he said.
Brazil maintained what Dunga described as ‘balanced control’ against Chile, making optimal use of the opportunities that came their way.
‘As we go along game by game, our confidence is growing,’ he said.
‘The quality of my players allows me to be calm. This group has been built up over three years and has not changed much in the last two. This whole effort is the result of a three-year effort.’
Dunga’s views of the Dutch were echoed by Brazil’s top scorer in the tournament, Luis Fabiano, who took his South Africa tally to three with Brazil’s second goal against Chile.
‘They’re another strong team, another team with great quality, but Brazil is increasingly ready,’ said the 29-year-old Sevilla striker.
