Netherlands under Van Gaal on cusp of advancing at World Cup

For the Netherlands a draw against Qatar will suffice to advance and put the team into contention again in a FIFA World Cup after failing to qualify four years ago.

The Netherlands is on the verge of reaching the knockout stage at the World Cup and an overwhelming favorite in its final Group A match on Tuesday against host nation Qatar.

If the Dutch advance it will put more focus on 71-year-old coach Louis van Gaal, who stepped out of retirement just over a year ago to take over the national team while being treated for aggressive prostate cancer.

Host nation Qatar has lost its first two matches and already missed its chance to move on from the group stage. But coach Felix Sanchez says his team will be prepared to face one of soccer's traditional powers.

“When you play against a team such as the Netherlands, you don’t need any motivation,” Sanchez said. "It's a challenge for our players to face such a team.”

“This was a very demanding group for us,” Sanchez added. "We’ve competed with our ups and downs. We’d have preferred to be in a better situation.”

For the Netherlands a draw will suffice to advance and put the team into contention again in a World Cup after failing to qualify four years ago. The Dutch could even get through with a loss if Ecuador beats Senegal in the other Group A match.

In the round of 16, the Netherlands would face one of the top two teams from Group B, where England is the favorite with Iran, Wales, and the United States scrambling for a spot.