Argentina are into the World Cup final after beating the Netherlands 4-2 on penalties in the semi-final in Sao Paulo.
Sergio Romero saved twice to set up a World Cup final against Germany on Sunday.
Romero held out spot kicks from Ron Vlaar and Wesley Sneijder to put the Argentinians through after 120 minutes of negative semi-final football from both sides had ended 0-0.
Lionel Messi, Ezquiel Garay, Sergio Aguero and Maxi Rodriguez converted Argentina’s spot kicks while Arjen Robben and Wesley Snijder were on target for the Dutch.
It was the first World Cup semi-final ever to end 0-0 after 120 minutes, and the Dutch failed to score in 240 minutes overall as they had required penalties to beat Costa Rica in the quarter-finals.
The scrappy match without a single serious scoring chance was far from worthy of a World Cup semi, and Argentina will need a massive effort if they want to lift the trophy a third time after 1978 and 1986.
Germany hammered hosts Brazil 7-1 in the first semi-final on Tuesday and must be rated big favourites for Sunday.
It will be a record third World Cup final between the two, with Argentina winning the title 3-2 in 1986 and the Germans 1-0 four years later. Germany also eliminated Argentina in the quarter-finals of the last two World Cups.
Dutch coach Louis van Gaal opted for caution again with a 5-3-2 formation, with Nigel de Jong back from a groin injury to shadow Messi. Robin van Persie was fit to play from a stomach bug.
Argentine coach Alejandro Sabella fielded Enzo Perez as expected for the injured Angel di Maria and welcomed back defender Marcos Rojo back from suspension.
The game started far from the pace and flair as the first semi-final, with the Dutch enjoying large spells of possession while Argentina captain Javier Mascherano was visibly dissatisfied with his team-mates.
The Dutch got a first small chance in the 13th when Wesley Snijder shot wide left, and a minute later Messi aimed a free-kick from a central position right into the arms of Jasper Cillessen after Ron Vlaar had brought down Perez.
Ezequiel Garay headed high off a corner kick before Argentina had a massive scare when Mascherano hurt his head in an aerial duel with Georginio Wijnaldum. The Barcelona player sunk onto the ground visibly dizzy but could eventually play on.
With Messi contained by De Jong and Vlaar, and Van Persie and Robben also hardly getting the ball, the tactical midfield battle trickled on until half-time with Argentina looking a little more determined.
No side seemed willing to take any risks, and Robben almost stole a last-gasp winner after a through ball, but Mascherano managed to block the shot with a full-stretch lunge as the game went into extra time and then penalties.
Brazil’s nightmare
Brazilians have woken up on the morning after the night before to dreadful headlines describing the shame and humiliation of their historic 7-1 defeat to Germany in the World Cup semi-final.
One of the country’s leading soccer publications, Placar, stated simply: “A day to forget.”
“It was the most shameful performance of all time,” said Almir Rogelio, 32, who was looking at the doomsday headlines at a newsstand in central Sao Paulo. “I honestly woke up and didn’t even want to remember what happened.”
During the slaughter, Germany scored faster than fans could fathom. Within minutes of kickoff, tears smudged children’s faces, turning little cheeks to streaky messes of yellow and green face paint.
Dreams of a sixth championship shattered in the first half hour of the game when Germany was already leading by a numbing 5-0. Many fans in the Belo Horizonte stadium left by halftime when it became clear Brazil was being routed. Some tore up their tickets and gave the thumbs down to TV cameras.
In Sao Paulo, where thousands gathered to watch the match in the neighbourhood of Vila Madalena, a man clung to a street pole and cried loudly, as another fan nearby banged his head against a bar table.
“It was a tragedy. Sad, very sad, the greatest defeat in all the history of the Brazilian national team,” wrote Tostao, one of Brazil’s forwards on its 1970 World Cup championship team and now a columnist for the Folha de S. Paulo newspaper.
Most heartbreaking for many Brazilians was suffering the country’s worst Cup defeat in its own backyard, as it hosted the tournament for the first time in 64 years.
“It was embarrassing. They have some nerve with the Brazilian people. We deserved so much better,” said Manuel Alves, 58, as he stood on a main business avenue in Sao Paulo. “The worst was all the money spent, having so many other problems that need to be fixed.”
Brazil spent more than $13 billion preparing for the tournament, and the high cost ignited angry protests against the World Cup during the past year. Demonstrators have complained about so much being spent while the nation suffers from woeful public services.
After the loss, many Brazilians returned to questioning whether holding the event was worth it, a bad omen for President Dilma Rousseff. She is campaigning for a re-election bid in October that many think could be made tougher by the team’s poor showing.
There were also reports of violence breaking out right after the game with many buses being torched in Sao Paulo – but it wasn’t clear if the vandalism was linked to the Cup loss. At least one store selling electronics and household appliances was ransacked, but there were no immediate reports of injuries.
