On a wonderful evening for those who love football, Holland played with total team-work and echoes of their great tradition of total football. A team brimming with technical talents pulls gloriously in the same direction and that direction is Johannesburg. Sunday’s World Cup final awaits.

So now Gio van Bronckhorst, Wesley Sneijder and Arjen Robben, the goalscorers in a deserved triumph over spirited Uruguay, have the chance to succeed where such legendary names as Johan Cruyff, Rudi Krol, Johnny Rep and Johan Neeskens failed.

If the men in orange inevitably take the plaudits, a silvery fox on the touchlines played a key part. Bert van Marwijk’s decision to withdraw a holding midfielder, Demy De Zeeuw, and send on the more attack-minded Rafael van der Vaart for the second half set Uruguay a challenge too far.

Before the Dutch had seized control with Van Marwijk’s tactical shift at the interval, the first half had been a tale of two captains, first Van Bronckhorst and then Diego Forlan.

To the delight of most present, Van Bronckhorst’s men had been quickest to show, Robben leaving Martin Caceres making a close acquaintance with the greenest part of Green Point Stadium and racing on.

Uruguay’s defence was all at sea, and when the cross came in Fernando Muslera shovelled it weakly on towards the unmarked Dirk Kuyt, whose shot flew over.

No matter. Holland were in the mood, moving with greater hunger and fluidity. When a loose ball fell into the centre of midfield, Mark van Bommel went in hard, nastily hard, and Walter Gargano faltered at the sight of the Dutchman’s studs. Gargano pulled out of the tackle, although he still had to withstand the force of Van Bommel’s challenge.

Uurguay’s goal endured real pain. The ball was now under Dutch sway, De Zeeuw exchanging passes with Sneijder before transferring the ball to Van Bronckhorst. Still the danger appeared minimal to Uruguay. Holland’s left-back was too distant, and not noted in recent years for rearranging nets.

What came next was as much out of the blue as out of the orange. Van Bronckhorst connected meatily with the Jabulani, sending it fizzing across the 41 yards, touching 61mph as it arrowed towards Uruguay’s goal. Muslera could do nothing, the ball was so sweetly hit. Not even Luis Suarez could have kept it out.

The Ajax striker, warmly embraced by some of the Dutch players beforehand, sat and watched from the bench, languishing in exile following his hand-ball against Ghana.

Holland were in control. Van Bommel demonstrated Dutch belief with a neat shimmy around a sliding Diego Perez. When required, Holland were defending stoutly.

Joris Mathijsen slid in to dispossess Edinson Cavani. De Zeeuw then took a boot in the face from Cacares, who was pushed over by an angry Sneijder.

Brimming with spirit, their trademark trait, Uruguay were always dangerous on the counter. Suarez’s absence had brought in Cavani, forcing Forlan to work higher up the pitch but four minutes from time he dropped deep to devastating effect.

Collecting possession 30 yards out, his blonde tresses flowing behind him, Forlan cut inside and brought his left foot down into the ball.

The mischievous Jabulani moved in the air but not greatly and was certainly not moving with the velocity of Van Bronckhorst’s strike.

Maarten Stekelenburg has been one of the keepers of this World Cup but he erred badly here. Sticking out a left hand far from convincingly, the Ajax keeper failed to prevent the ball flying into the net. Maybe he can get some lessons from Suarez back in Amsterdam.

Stekelenburg knew he had fouled up. The way he looked to the skies reflected his search for an explanation. As the vanquished keeper beseeched the heaven for answers, Forlan sprinted to one group of Uruguay supporters, a dash of blue in a sea of orange. ''Three Million Dreams’’ read one banner. Uruguay’s tiny population were daring to dream. Not for long.

Van Marwijk gambled, ushering on Van der Vaart. With Van Bommel holding the fort in front of the back-door, Holland were almost 4-1-5 in possession. How they deserved victory. Still they attacked down the flanks, Robben and Kuyt stretching Uruguay time after time.

Until the 70th minute, Uruguay held firm, sweating overtime to keep the orange waves at bay. Forlan gave them a brief threat, a flattish free-kick that a startled Stekelenburg pushed away but the force was with one team. For all the fear of leaving the back-door open, Holland remained committed to attack, wonderfully so.

They almost regained the lead when Van Persie teed up Van der Vaart, whose low shot was palmed into the path of Robben but sadly on to his right foot.

By now the Dutch vuvuzelas were blowing a gale, hitting hurricane force after 70 minutes. Sneijder’s shot had a few stops en route into Uruguay’s net but it was undoubtedly deserved. Sneijder’s effort first clipped Maximiliano Pereira’s leg and almost Van Persie before sneaking past the diving Muslera.

Van Marwijk’s half-time switch had paid off, presenting Uruguay with too much attacking variety to cope with. When Kuyt, running down the inside-left channel, checked on to his right foot, his team-mates made their move into the box.

Kuyt’s cross was perfect, the ball weighted to drop near the penalty spot. Robben, eluding Diego Godin, twisted his body and met the ball brilliantly, heading it powerfully past Muslera.

There was a brief twist when Maximiliano Pereira made it 3-2 but Van Marwijk’s history men held on. Johannesburg awaits.