Dutch celebrate World Cup win over Brazil

THE HAGUE: Ecstatic Dutch supporters spilled onto the streets Friday, singing, dancing and waving orange flags to celebrate their team's World Cup quarter-final victory over Brazil. Egging on their team in the dying minutes of the match with chants of "Holland, Holland", fans clustered in restaurants and bars in The Hague jumped with joy as the final whistle blew. The streets of the city were coloured orange by men, women and children donning shirts, wigs, hats and boas in the colour of the Oranje Elftal (Orange Eleven) and blowing noisily on vuvuzelas as they revelled in their 2-1 win. After the final whistle blew, loud speakers started pumping out popular music as car hooters blared down the streets. Dejected Brazilian fans could be seen ambling down the streets with their shoulders sagging amid the Dutch cacophony. The match was watched countrywide on mega screens erected on city squares as municipal authorities distributed caps and water to fans gathered in temperatures upward from 30 degrees Celsius. Entire homes were covered with large orange sheets and many a street is lined with small orange flags clattering in the wind. One poll said that as much as 61 percent of Dutch workers had taken time off to watch Friday's match, while an economic advice bureau said employee absenteeism cost the economy more than 100 million euros (126 million dollars) every day the Dutch national team played.