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Tabarez: We are not scared

Cape Town - Uruguay manager Oscar Tabarez is playing down the pressure that is building ahead of his side's crunch clash with Holland.

The South Americans take on the Dutch in the World Cup semi-finals on Tuesday in Cape Town, looking to make the last step to the final.

Uruguay won the competition back in 1930 and in 1950, but have done little of note in major tournaments in recent years.

Tabarez admits that because of their history, pressure is often put on Uruguay to achieve success on the world stage, but he is not getting carried away with the hype.

"The thing is, because of our history, there's always a lot expected of Uruguay," he told Fifa.com.

"And given that at previous tournaments we've not lived up to those expectations, a performance like this year's stands out even more.

"We'd prefer not to be compared to the teams from 1930 and 1950, but we're still in with a chance of matching their feats.

"So, of course, I understand why back home people see this as our most important game in decades, but I don't see that as added pressure."

Holland will prove tough opponents in the semi-final as the Oranje have not lost so far in South Africa or in their qualifying campaign.

"Holland will be very difficult - but not impossible," Tabarez added.

"This generation is a little different to the traditional Holland - they are a very balanced side.

"At the back they give nothing away, they link well. That's an aspect that other Dutch sides, while they didn't neglect that side of things, they didn't ascribe it such importance."

Uruguay will be without striker Luis Suarez for the tie after his infamous last-minute handball against Ghana in the quarter-finals.

Tabarez admits it is a blow to lose him, but believes his squad has enough strength in depth to fill the gap.

He remarked: "We have enough footballers in our pack to send out a side which deserve my confidence.

"I think we have shown sufficient evidence of our capabilities. Of the 23 in the squad 20 have already had some playing time." 
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