SAO PAULO (AP):

Dutch captain and all-time top scorer Robin van Persie is in doubt for the World Cup semi-final against Argentina after succumbing to a stomach problem.

Van Persie trained separately yesterday with defender Daryl Janmaat, and coach Louis van Gaal said both were suffering "stomach and intestinal problems."

Van Gaal said he would not rush into deciding whether Van Persie is fit to play at Sao Paulo's Itaquerao Stadium against the Lionel Messi-led Argentina.

"I have to make a decision tomorrow. I'm not going to do that today. We have more than a day," Van Gaal said. "Van Persie is a very important player for us."

champions

Van Persie scored three times in the first two Dutch matches of the World Cup, including a spectacular diving header against defending champions Spain that was instantly hailed as one of the goals of the tournament.

But the Manchester United striker has struggled to hit the same rich vein of form since being suspended for the Netherlands' last Group B match after picking up two yellow cards.

Van Gaal said he has developed a plan to beat Argentina in a semi-final that is a rematch of the 1978 World Cup final the Dutch lost 3-1 in extra time.

But the master tactician, who has just two more matches in charge of the Netherlands before joining Manchester United after the World Cup, said it could change today depending on how the Argentinians play.

If the Dutch beat Argentina, they face Germany - the country that beat the Netherlands in the 1974 final - in the championship match at Rio's Maracana Stadium after the Germans humiliated Brazil 7-1 in the first semi-final.

Van Gaal said the match was too close to call.

"I don't think there's a favourite," he said. "In the semi-finals, the teams are each other's equals."