The Dutch will play the winners of the second semifinal between Germany and Spain for the Cup at Soccer City on Johannesburg on July 11.

Second-half goals from Wesley Sneijder and Arjen Robben put the Dutch 3-1 up but Maxi Pereira summed up the never-say-die spirit of the Uruguayans with an injury-time strike to ensure a frantic finish.

Dutch coach Bert van Marwijk was proud of his team, who have won all six matches in the finals, the best record of any side.

"It's amazing that we have managed to do this. It's been 32 years since the Netherlands last played in a final. It is unbelievable. We can be very proud for such a small country," he said.

35-year-old captain Giovanni van Bronckhorst put the Netherlands ahead after 18 minutes with probably the goal of the tournament, a stunning 30 meter strike which whistled past Uruguay goalkeeper Fernando Muslera.

But Diego Forlan, the Uruguay captain on the night, equalized shortly before halftime with a long-range effort that eluded Dutch goalkeeper Maarten Stekelenburg, his fourth goal of the World Cup.

The second half burst to life just after the hour mark as first Sneijder's shot found its way through a sea of legs to beat Muslera for his fifth of the tournament.

In the 73rd minute, Robben headed home Dirk Kuyt's cross to make it 3-1.

In injury time, Maxi Pereira scored his team's second goal with a quickly taken free-kick, but it was too late to catch the Dutch.