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Confident Bergkamp sets sights on title
Posted: Sunday July 05, 1998 10:21 AM
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Bergkamp has now scored 36 goals in international competiton for his country (AP) |
MARSEILLE, France (AP) --
He is the classic finisher, and Dennis Bergkamp plans to finish off what
the Dutch have started in the World Cup. "We want to go all the way,"
said Bergkamp, whose magnificent goal Saturday with 32 seconds remaining in
regulation time lifted the Netherlands
past Argentina
2-1. "We've tasted a bit of success and we want more." They'll have
to do it the hard way, playing defending champion Brazil, the
four-time cup holder, in the semifinals Tuesday in Marseille. But of the
three teams remaining along with the Brazilians, the Dutch appear most
capable of an upset. They have an aggressive style that is a must
against Brazil. Backing off against the champions means certain doom.
They have a midfield that moves the ball quickly to the attackers. And
they have a finally healthy Bergkamp to score goals. "It's all about
luck as well as finishing," said Bergkamp, whose goal Saturday was his 36th
in international competition, a Dutch record. "You've got to have those
moments. "You win and you move on. You don't think about losing."
The Dutch are thinking about winning their first world championship -- they
reached the title games in 1974 and 1978, losing both to the host
countries, West Germany and
Argentina. To do it, Bergkamp must continue at the level he's shown in the
last two games. The tournament did not start out well for the
Arsenal star, who helped his club to England's
Premier League championship and the FA Cup crown. He missed six weeks with
a hamstring injury and was not at full strength for the opener.
Bergkamp came on midway through the second half of a lackluster 0-0 tie
with Belgium. When
Patrick Kluivert received a two-game suspension for elbowing a Belgian
defender, coach Guus Hiddink was forced to start Bergkamp against South
Korea, regardless of Bergkamp's condition. That game wasn't a
big challenge. "The Koreans let us play, and we had much room to use
our attack and do what we do best," Bergkamp said. "It was not very
stressful." As he began rounding into top shape, Bergkamp also found
he was getting the ball more. He didn't score against Mexico, but in a
2-1 second-round win against Yugoslavia,
Bergkamp connected once more, tying the Dutch career scoring mark in
international games set by Faas Wilkes. Against Argentina, he made a
great head pass to Kluivert to set up the first goal. Then he won it on the
kind of spectacular play that doesn't happen often enough in the World Cup
-- but just might when the Dutch and Brazilians get together. Frank
de Boer sent an arcing pass from midfield that Bergkamp took off his right
foot on the fly. He made a nift move around Argentina's top defender,
Roberto Ayala, and then flicked a right-footed shot into the corner of the
net. "It was a great pass from Frank in the back and I went into
space," he said. "I knew if we kept the pressure on their defense,
something good would come for us. It did." Bergkamp believes the
best is yet to come for the Netherlands. "To win the World Cup is
every player's dream," he said. "We have put ourselves in the position to
do it, and we are confident that we can."
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