Vidal and Chile both ready

SAO PAULO (AP) – Chile’s star midfielder Arturo Vidal said yesterday he was ready to play against the Netherlands in his team’s final Group B match at the World Cup.
The Juventus standout has been recovering from right knee surgery last month and also hurt his right Achilles tendon during the tournament.
Vidal has started his team’s two games thus far but was substituted in both.
“I am fine after the matches I have played. I feel better,” he said at Sao Paulo’s Itaquera Stadium.
He added that coach Jorge Sampaoli will decide whether to field him against the Dutch today, but that “I certainly feel like playing in tomorrow’s [today’s] game”.
Both teams have qualified for the last 16 after two victories, including against defending world champion Spain. Today’s game will decide the group winner – with the likely prize being avoiding a meeting with host Brazil in the next round.
The second-place team will meet the winner of Group A – probably the host nation – with the group winner probably facing an easier time against either Croatia or Mexico. A smoother path to the later stages of the tournament looms as well.
While a draw would be enough for the Dutch, Chile have to win outright to finish top.
Vidal, who is also carrying a yellow card with him, said it was still too early to think about possibly facing the five-time world champions.
Sampaoli said that today’s match was important in more ways than one and would give the team “hints as to how difficult the round of 16 is going to be”, regardless of the opponent.