And just like that the Netherlands go from being the flying Dutchmen to the flu-ing Dutchmen (Well that was the pre-USA rumor) to the flying home Dutchmen. With that said, if it's any consolation I do believe they're are first undefeated eliminated team no? Considering penalties are officially a draw and penalties are a "tie-breaker". If so it was a good campaign Netherlands, great comeback and hard luck today.
Yes they are eliminated from contention from winning the World Cup. Guess a description at the beginning would have been better. If we take the, "they still get to play another game" then won't teams not get eliminated from qualifiers until the last day of qualifying, even if they were mathematically out months prior? ie, Gibraltar, San Marino, etc.... And teams like Canada and Qatar, who were eliminated before playing their 3rd world cup game. But they still played that game, but were considered eliminated after the 2nd games. I think the way it works is once it is no longer mathematically possible to win the World Cup, you're eliminated.