Pretoria-Dutch fans are painting Tshwane orange ahead of their national team's World Cup final match against Spain at Soccer City tonight.

Dressed in orange, the Dutch fans assembled at Pretoria's Church Square before they took their "oranje" parade along Paul Kruger Street to Pretoria train station, where they will get on a train to the soccer match.

The City of Tshwane also urged local soccer fanatics to join the campers in their Oranje parade.

An estimated 400 Dutch fans made a special trip to South Africa and stayed overnight in Tshwane before taking the official orange parade. They will go to Soccer City by train from Nasrec station.

Fans without match tickets will be transported to the Tshwane Fan Fest for another Oranje gathering.
The oranje parade organisers chartered planes from Amsterdam which arrived at OR Tambo International Airport on Saturday evening and 4:00 on Sunday morning respectively.

Tshwane spokesperson, Console Tleane said: "It has been a massive logistical operation from both the City of Tshwane and De Oranjecamping organisers.

"Fans had flown back to the Netherlands after their camping trip around the country during June and were honestly not expecting a final. The match tickets, planes, buses, train and accommodation for the 400 enthusiasts have been pulled together in a little over 48 hours," said.

He said the City will have buses at Pretoria Station to transport the remaining fans without match tickets to the Tshwane Fan Fest at the Centurion Cricket Grounds.

Tleane said the buses will return from the Fan Fest to Church Square at midnight for those who have left their vehicles in town.

The Oranjecamping is believed to be the world's largest football fan camp and in the past month has seen a convoy of 175 vehicles travelling across the entire African continent. The camp was based at Fountains Valley in Tshwane during the first week of the tournament.

"We are pleased and honoured that The Oranjecamping chose to make Tshwane final stay in South Africa. It is fitting that they close camp in Tshwane before they kick-off their chance at making history of winning the World Cup for the first time," he said.

Source: BuaNews   

Pretoria - The only South American survivors in the 2010 FIFA World Cup, Uruguay, will face the Netherlands in a semi-final clash in Cape Town Stadium on Tuesday.

Uruguay advanced to the last four following a controversial Luis Suarez hand ball on the goal- line in the dying minutes of extra time in the quarter-final against Ghana.

And, for their part, the Oranje caused a stir last Friday when they defeated five-time World champions, Brazil 2-1 in their last eight match, at the Nelson Mandela Bay stadium.

Ranked number 16 in the FIFA World rankings, Uruguay will come into this crucial match as the underdogs. The fourth-ranked Dutch team was booted out in the World Cup semi-finals by both Germany and Argentina in 1974 and 1978 respectively.

The Netherlands is on a 24-match unbeaten run and is in its first World Cup semi-final since 1998 in France, when it lost on penalties to Brazil.

Uruguay won the World Cup in 1930 and 1950, but last reached a semifinal in 1970 when the team finished in fourth place.

Although, Suarez will miss out on this important encounter, the South American side can still upset the Dutch with their star striker, Diego Forlan, who has scored three goals at this tournament.

The Oranje head coach, Bert Van Marwijk and Oscar Tabarez of Uruguay will have to make changes to their starting line-ups due to suspensions and injuries.

Uruguay defender, Jorge Fucile received a one match ban after picking up a second yellow card against Ghana, while central defender Diego Godin, who missed the quarter-final as a result of a left thigh problem, remains doubtful.

The team's skipper, Diego Lugano who sustained a right knee ligament during their hard-fought victory against the Black Stars, is still battling to be fit. On the other hand, Van Marwijk will have to restructure his defence which at times has been called sloppy.

Gregory van der Wiel and defensive midfielder, Nigel de Jong are both on suspension after collecting their second yellow cards during their match against Brazil.

Joris Mathijsen was declared fit to play this crucial semi-final match. Mathijsen recovered from a knee injury that saw him missing out on the quarter-finals.

With four goals to his name, sensational Dutch midfielder, Wesley Sneijder who scored two goals to send Brazil home, is also expected to cause a bit of havoc for Uruguay.

The kick-off of this semi-final match is 20:30.

The other semi-final match will be between European champions, Spain and Germany at the Moses Mabhida Stadium on Wednesday at 20:30.

Source: BuaNews