Holland exit robs Robben of chance to atone

The Netherlands' heartbreaking penalty shootout loss to Argentina in the World Cup semi-finals looks to have definitively ended Arjen Robben's hopes of exorcising his ghosts from the 2010 final.
Wednesday's game at an overcast Corinthians Arena had been billed as a duel between Robben and Lionel Messi, but instead it was the defenders on both sides who took centre-stage.
While Messi was masterfully coralled by Dutch centre-back Ron Vlaar, Robben rarely threatened to add to his tally of three tournament goals.
Set free by Wesley Sneijder on the stroke of full-time, he was denied by a magnificent sliding block from Argentine midfielder Javier Mascherano.

And when he finally managed to cut inside his man on the right flank and shoot at goal in trademark fashion in the first half of extra time, his effort flew straight at Argentine goalkeeper Sergio Romero.
Robben at least found the target in the penalty shootout, after the game finished goalless following extra time, sweeping the ball into the bottom-right corner as Romero plunged the other way.

But Romero had already saved from Vlaar by that point and when Sneijder's subsequent spot-kick met the same fate, it was left to Maxi Rodriguez to fire Argentina into a showdown with Germany in Sunday's final.

Having been within touching distance of a second consecutive final appearance, Holland must instead prepare for Saturday's third-place play-off with Brazil, and Robben was less than enthused by the prospect.
"The third-place match? Honestly, it's only the title that interested me," he said. "Losing drives me mad. It hurts."
Beaten in three World Cup finals and two semi-finals, Holland have become accustomed to encountering heartbreak at football's showpiece event, but Wednesday's defeat was particularly hard to stomach for Robben.