Holland and Argentina have a little bit of history behind them, but this afternoon's game is all about their growth as teams and contenders. After efficient and sometimes stylish first round passages, they both disappointed slightly in the second round.
The Dutch were sufficiently adventurous but needed an injurytime goal to overcome a strangely timid Yugoslavian team. The Argentinians had an hour of huffing and puffing against England's nine-man defence before requiring a penalty shoot-out to blow the house down.
Their problems were similar. Batistuta submitted a uniquely flat performance against the English, despite the gift of a penalty goal early on. It is thought likely that his partner in attack, Claudio Lopez, will pay the price today being replaced by Roma's Abel Balbo.
Bergkamp was livelier against the Yugoslavs, but never mined the sort of chances which he had been producing in the first round. Hiddink is a creature who craves balance in his teams and that is likely to keep Patrick Kluivert on the sidelines today as Philippe Cocu continues up front.
Assuming that both attacks step it up a gear this afternoon, interest will centre on the engine houses in midfield. The Argentinians look useful with Veron doing the stoking and the grunt work and Ortega just in front of him picking the locks inside.
For all their excellence, however, they don't quite seem a match for the Dutch central pairing of Seedorf and Davids. Seedorf replaced the equally gifted Jonk before the last game and his evening's work justified Hiddink's courageous selection. He has the same directness as Jonk, but runs harder and longer, a perfect complement to Davids's precocious skills. The Dutch have made it plain that they learned a little from Michael Owen's goal against the Argentinians (which, Shearer's penalty apart, was the first goal they had conceded in eight games) and the brief for Davids and Seedorf will be to service the pace of Overmars and Ronald de Boer out wide.
That will make for a busy afternoon for the Argentine defence where Javier Zanetti is expected to be replaced by the less cavalier Mauricio Pineda. Roberto Sensini also returns from injury and will displace Nelson Vivas.
The Dutch will also alter their regular back four. Michael Reiziger has been slow to recover from a bruised foot and his absence should mean a recall for Aron Winter. More will be expected, however, from centre half Jaap Stam who has had an uneasy time in the last two games, making a ghastly error to let the Mexicans in for a late equaliser, then giving away a penalty against Yugoslavia which was spurned.
The Dutch have been prone to little concentration lapses like that all through the tournament. The Argentinians have been more even, but less prone to outright brilliance when they are having their way. Assuming that Seedorf's energy puts a a shackle on Veron's running and that Stam and Frank de Boer don't have any rushes of blood in the centre of defence, the Dutch should just find the edge.
Ominously, however, both teams have added penalty practice to their daily routines this week. Could be a long afternoon.
Probable Teams
Argentina: Roa; Pineda, Ayala, Sensini, Chamot; Simeone (capt), Almeyda, Veron, Ortega, Balbo, Batistuta
Holland: Van der Sar; Winter, Stam, F de Boer (capt), Numan; R de Boer, Seedorf, Davids, Overmars; Cocu, Bergkamp.
