Netherlands vs. Germany: Gomez and Germans Sparkle as Dutch Hover on Brink

Technically, nothing is settled yet in Group B. No "Group of Death" executioner has been summoned, no fate irrevocably sealed either way.

But after another German win and another Dutch defeat, we all know better than that.

Anything is possible, of course. Germany could still lose to Denmark in the group finale, and Portugal could beat the Dutch—everyone else seems to be doing it—and all three could end up with six points apiece.

Or the Dutch could stir from their slumber, rally at the right time and storm to victory over Portugal while the Germans—in a much more likely scenario—take care of business against Denmark.

In either scenario, three teams would finish level on points and one deserving squad would be sent home prematurely.

But that's ludicrous. Wednesday already settled matters, some of them at least, even if the table doesn't say so.

Germany handled Holland in the latest installment of an ancient and impassioned rivalry, scoring twice in the first half and hanging on—comfortably in the end—after Robin van Persie and company finally threatened to start playing to their abilities in the second.

The final score was 2-1, but that makes the game sound like something it wasn't. Make no mistake; this one wasn't close.

The Germans were better in every phase of the game for all but a few scattered moments.

They passed better. They shot better. They defended better.

Their keeper saved better. Their midfielders moved better. Their coach picked a better starting lineup.

And they even played well with others—an elementary assumption for most teams at this level, yet for the Dutch, something seemingly unattainable.

And now we know, conclusively, which team is better.

Mario Gomez put out the first warning in the 24th minute, latching onto Bastian Schweinsteiger's perfectly weighted through ball, turning a deft pirouette with the ball at his feet and beating Maarten Stekelenburg with a typically classy finish.

It signaled another round of panic for Holland, one of the three or four most highly regarded teams heading into the tournament. Even more worrying than the goal was the amount of space afforded to Schweinsteiger in the middle and Thomas Müller on the right—the side from which he played the possibility-unlocking pass to Schweinsteiger.

After 14 more minutes, it was all but over.

Gomez struck again, and this time his shot from a tight angle on the right side of Holland's box beat Maarten Stekelenburg too easily.

Until that point, the Dutch debacle had left their No. 1 largely untouched, but no longer. Stekelenburg committed himself too early and found himself too low to swat away Gomez's well-placed shot.

The rest of the half played out like a B-rate horror movie, with the Dutch superstars playing the part of the walking dead. The expected second-half rally followed, spurred by the inevitable introductions of Rafael van der Vaart and Klaas-Jan Huntelaar into Holland's stagnant attack.

Van Persie, so often Arsenal's hero this past season, threatened to reprise the role for the Dutch in the second half. Apparently unbothered by Saturday's personal disappointments, RvP pulled a goal back for his country with a stunning rocket off his right foot—not his famed left—and marauded the German defense for several minutes in the immediate aftermath.

Several teammates followed his lead, and for a short time, the famously neurotic Dutch almost looked ready to cast aside their failings and mount a memorable comeback.

Instead, old-fashioned German resolve won out.

The Dutch were finally off the mark, but even after a brief spell of superiority, they were hardly flying. Germany killed off the match ruthlessly, and when the final whistle sounded, a second Dutch goal felt less likely than an unselfish Arjen Robben assist.

By that time, Robben was long gone, casting an unhappy and obviously unwilling figure while exiting the field as a second-half substitute along the far sideline, hundreds of yards removed from his teammates.

Considering the final result, it was an appropriate image.

In contrast, Germany manager Joachim Löw drew strong, unselfish performances throughout his squad, from goalkeeper Manuel Neuer and defender Mats Hummels to midfielders Schweinsteiger, Müller and Mesut Özil to Gomez up top.

Technically, they still haven't qualified for the knockout stage. But we all know better than that.

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