Strange that it should take more than 60 matches to get to one real classic. Even the most exciting games of this World Cup – USA-Algeria, USA-Ghana, Ghana-Uruguay – didn’t have anything on this one. USA-Algeria was likely less than compelling, if you were a neutral, as Algeria (confusingly) played for a draw right up until the 91st minute; USA-Ghana was notable mostly for Ghana’s extra-time winner; and Ghana-Uruguay was only thrilling in the last minute of extra time (though the pain Ghana endured was enough for three or four World Cups.)

But this one – wow. Start with the absolute strike of the tournament from Giovanni van Bronckhorst in the 18th-minute, an unsaveable 35-yard rocket from the left flank, off the right post and in. Seriously, go over to ESPN and find a replay. Two keepers could hardly have stopped it, and it took place from across the field.

Then add in Diego Forlan‘s equalizer, another dagger from the Uruguayan, this one in the 41st. It was Forlan’s fourth goal of the tournament, yet another scored from long range, and this from a guy who used to be unable to score from four feet. Stunning.

And then, the second half. Wesley Sneijder scores with twenty minutes to play to put Holland up again, another goal from the suddenly-prolific midfielder, and one I’m still convinced was offside. Discussion should rage; the ball nearly hit Robin van Persie, who was offside and in the goalkeeper’s line of sight, which strikes me as “interfering with play,” but was somehow ignored by the referee.

Arjen Robben scored three minutes later and that looked to be it – but then Maxi Pereira slammed a shot home with two of three extra minutes off the clock to make it 3-2. Surely there wasn’t time for another goal… was there?

93:00 ticked by. No whistle from the ref, except to (confusingly) card Mark van Bommel. Uruguay desperately swung the ball into the box. Holland had to make three game-saving lunges.

94:00 ticked past. Still no whistle. There was no time-wasting, no substitutions, just the goal, and somehow four minutes of the maximum three minutes of stoppage time had elapsed, and still the referee allowed Uruguay to throw the ball into the Netherlands penalty area. van Persie had to make two defensive plays. Still no whistle.

I think the referee must have just been caught up in the drama. I know I was.

Finally the ref signaled the end of the game. There were minor fisticuffs, of course. A game that tense couldn’t end with mere handshakes.

Two laser strikes, one controversial goal, an extra-time prayer, followed by two incredibly tense minutes that probably shouldn’t have happened – how exciting can you get?

Tomorrow, Germany-Spain. Can Miroslav Klose tie Ronaldo – or surpass him – as the World Cup’s greatest-ever goalscorer? Can somebody other than David Villa score for Spain? Can the Spanish live up to expectations? Can the Germans be stopped?