Netherlands rally to edge Australia
PORTO ALEGRE, Brazil — Memphis Depay scored a late clincher as Netherlands withstood Australia’s unsettling challenge in a 3-2 comeback win Wednesday to move to the verge of qualifying for the knockout rounds of the World Cup.
Netherlands followed up its 5-1 rout of defending champion Spain with a closer-than-expected win against Australia, which is almost surely out of contention after two straight defeats.
Arjen Robben and Robin Van Persie, who each scored twice against Spain, added to their tallies before and after Australia’s goals. Substitute Depay scored in the winner in the 68th.
After a quiet start the game burst into life on the 20th minute when Robben collected the ball near halfway, sped through a gaping hole in the Australian midfield and shot powerfully
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past the outstretched foot of Maty Ryan.
But Australia equalized almost immediately, with
left Ryan McGowan sending a long, looping pass from the midfield to Tim Cahill, who volleyed over Jasper Cillessen onto the underside of the bar in one of the best goals of the tournament so far.
Croatia 4, Cameron 0
MANAUS, Brazil — Mario Mandzukic scored two goals to keep Croatia in the mix at the World Cup with a win over 10man Cameroon, which cannot now advance from the group stage.
Mandzukic, who returned to the team at the Arena da Amazonia after sitting out the opening loss to Brazil through suspension, headed in a corner from Danijel Pranjic in the 61st minute and then knocked in a rebound in the 73rd of the Group A game.