Argentina will meet Germany for the third time in a World Cup final when the two sides renew their rivalry Sunday. Argentina earned its berth by defeating the Dutch 4-2 in penalty shots after a 0-0 draw in regular and extra time. Here are the reasons Argentina is through and the Dutch have choked once again.

Why Argentina won

1. Javier Mascherano

The Argentine defense was never recognized as particularly great, but the team showed it could put together a solid defensive performance against a solid Belgian attack. The key to that defensive performance was the play of Javier Mascherano, who kept the team organized at the back. His work against the Dutch was even more splendid, as he shadowed Arjen Robben for most of the night. It did not matter where the Dutch master was; Mascherano was right there with him and cut off his space throughout the night. Robben had two of the four Dutch shots this game, but he was rarely able to use his speed the way he had in other games.

2. Negating the Aerial Threat

Remember how Robin Van Persie crucified Iker Casillas in the opening game? Remember how the Dutch scored their second and third goals in that game against the Spanish? Through the air. Robben's game winner was an aerial cross that he controlled and Casillas blasted. The third was off a free kick that went over the Spanish keeper's head and to the far post, where the Dutch capitalized. The team had been impressive throughout the tournament by winning balls in the air and had made it a tournament trademark. The team scored against Chile via a header, and then against Costa Rica, the team won 57 percent of aerial battles; against Mexico, the team won 67 percent of aerial confrontations.

But that was not to be against Argentina, as the South Americans, despite being the underdogs in this department, won 52 percent of aerial battles, negating one of the main Dutch attacking threats. Robin Van Persie, who thrives on aerial play, was shut out of the match.

3. Sergio Romero

The Argentine keeper came under fire prior to the tournament, as many pundits did not think he could hold his own after he played in only two games in the 2013-14 season. But Romero, despite looking shaky early, has slowly grown into one of the big stories of this tournament. He was not particularly tested throughout the 120, but when it mattered most, he played the role of hero. He stopped the first penalty on Ron Vlaar before turning away Wesley Sneijder on the third kick.

Why Netherlands Lost

1. Where is my captain?

Robin Van Persie tends to disappear in major tournaments. The Dutch captain scored only two goals for the Dutch despite the team reaching the final in the 2010 World Cup. He was among the major failures in the team's Euro 2012 implosion, and his performance in 2014 leaves a lot to be desired. He got off to a great start with two goals (including the wonder diving header) against Spain before notching one against Australia. But since being suspended against Chile, Van Persie has been borderline invisible. He was subbed off against Mexico, a foreboding decision by coach Louis Van Gaal, and then blocked multiple scoring chances for his own team against Costa Rica. In this match, he had his worst showing yet and did not manage a single shot. His 23 touches were the fewest of all the Dutch starters; only substitute Klass-Jan Huntelaar had fewer. The fact that Van Persie was removed yet against emphasizes how little confidence Van Gaal has in his captain.

2. No offensive ideas

The Dutch looked like perennial world beaters when they hammered Spain 5-1 in the Group B opener. But that was a mirage, not reality. After that offensive explosion, the team's offense diminished slowly. The Dutch scored three against Australia, two against Chile, two against Mexico and then none against Costa Rica. In the Mexico game, the team seemed lacking in ideas on how to create, chances while the match against Costa Rica could not be more different. As the team headed into the semifinal, the question was: Which Dutch side is the real one? It turns out that the team was more of the team that struggled against Mexico. It spent a lot of time passing the ball around probing for space, but rarely doing anything in the penalty area. At the start of the second half, the team did not have a single touch in the offensive zone; after 120 minutes, it had only four shots on goal.

3. Chokers

The Dutch are known as the perennial choke artists of international soccer, especially now that Spain has won a few trophies in the last few years. The team cannot get past its history of performances, and despite giving its best in this tournament, the side simply looked a bit nervous throughout the match and hesitant to take chances. The passing back and forth indicated a side playing it safe, and for most of the opening 45, Argentina looked more assured going forward. When the Dutch started seizing control of possession, there was still a worrisome feel to the side, especially in one moment when Daley Blind made a pass toward one of the defenders on the far side of the pitch but actually booted it out of bounds; that is the mark of a nervous player. Sneijder, who was terrific on free kicks against Costa Rica, could not hit a target the entire night and capped his woeful evening with a missed penalty attempted.

In the penalties, they lacked the poise of their opponents; this was epitomized in Vlaar's hasty kick, which was readily predictable to all watching.

Maybe they can do it in four years, but they will no longer be blessed with some of the talent of Arjen Robben, who did his best to overcome history. Even he could not stop the inevitable.