Played at Venue: Royal Bafokeng Stadium, Rustenburg (Attendance: 61,962)
Date: Monday, 28 June 2010
A superb strike from Arjen Robben and a late Wesley Sneijder goal gave Netherlands a deserved if somewhat underwhelming victory over Slovakia to seal their place in the World Cup quarter-finals.Netherlands vs Slovakia Match Report
Holland booked a World Cup quarter-final spot after a narrow 2-1 victory over Slovakia in Durban.
Arjen Robben opened the scoring in the 18th minute before Wesley Sneijder doubled his team's lead with six minutes remaining.
Slovakia scored a consolation goal in stoppage time when Robert Vittek struck from the penalty spot after substitute Martin Jakubko was brought down by Holland goalkeeper Maarten Stekelenburg.
Stekelenburg had earlier made a great save from Vittek's close-range strike in the 66th minute to deny Slovakia an equaliser.
Holland have now won all four games at the World Cup and will meet the winner of Brazil's clash with Chile on Friday in Port Elizabeth.
Today's game at the Moses Mabhida stadium offered two contrasting styles, with Holland pursuing a patient passing game while Slovakia adopted a more direct approach to try to utilise Vittek's pace.
Robben earned his first start at the World Cup after recovering from a calf injury and he terrorised Slovakia's defence with pace and skill before being replaced after the hour mark.
Slovakia coach Vladimir Weiss made just one change to the side that knocked Italy out of the tournament.
The Slovaks, looking to upset another World Cup heavyweight, started in confident fashion and had the first chance after two minutes but Erik Jendrisek's left-footed strike from 25 yards went over the bar.
Holland struggled to break down Slovakia's defence and were limited to long-range shooting.
Sneijder tried his luck from distance and his effort went high and wide while shortly after, Dirk Kuyt fired just wide of the near post.
In the 10th minute, Sneijder should have done better after being set up inside the area by Van Persie.
However, the Inter Milan forward shot straight at Slovakia goalkeeper Jan Mucha.
It did not take long for Holland to go in front, though. A great long ball from Sneijder found Robben and the Bayern Munich winger cut inside two defenders before firing a left-footed strike into the net.
On the half-hour mark, Miroslav Stoch got the ball into the danger zone but no-one was there to get on the end of his cross.
Holland were happy to sit on their lead with Slovakia unable to put a good move together.
Robin van Persie should have doubled Holland's lead before half-time but his close-range shot from Mark van Bommel's cross went wide.
Slovakia showed more determination after the restart but it was Holland that looked more deadly.
Mucha was twice called into action to prevent Holland from extending their lead.
The Slovakia goalkeeper was forced to fully stretch to make a one-handed save from Robben's shot and, seconds later, Mark van Bommel's close-range shot was parried away by Mucha.
Stekelenburg made his first save of the afternoon in the 65th minute by palming over Stoch's right-footed strike from the edge of the area.
Slovakia should have equalised seconds later but Vittek's effort was parried away by Stekelenburg.
At the other end, Kuyt latched onto Sneijder's free-kick but his header went over the bar.
In the 73rd minute, Kuyt warmed the hands of Mucha with a stinging drive from 25 yards and Holland ended Slovakia's hopes in the 84th minute.
Kuyt fed Sneijder and he struck the ball home from 15 yards.
With seconds remaining, Vittek coolly scored from the penalty spot to score his fourth goal of the World Cup, but it was too little, too late.
Netherlands vs Slovakia line-ups:
Netherlands: 1-Maarten Stekelenburg; 2-Gregory van der Wiel, 3-John Heitinga, 4-Joris Mathijsen, 5-Giovanni van Bronckhorst; 7-Dirk Kuyt, 6-Mark van Bommel, 10-Wesley Sneijder, 8-Nigel de Jong, 11-Arjen Robben; 9-Robin van Persie.
Slovakia: 1-Jan Mucha; 2-Peter Pekarik, 3-Martin Skrtel, 16-Jan Durica, 5-Radoslav Zabavnik, 7-Vladimir Weiss, 15-Miroslav Stoch, 17-Marek Hamsik, 11-Robert Vittek, 19-Juraj Kucka, 18-Erik Jendrisek.
Referee: Alberto Undiano (Spain)
Netherlands vs Slovakia Extended Highlights Video 10:18 mins
18 mins GOAL by Arjen Robben (Netherlands 1-0 Slovakia)
ROBBEN makes the breakthrough as he gains possession on the right, cuts inside and drifts past a couple of defenders, before beating Mucha with a low drive from 20 yards.
83 mins GOAL by Wesley Sneijder (Netherlands 2-0 Slovakia)
Jan Mucha has had a terrific game for Slovakia but he has had an absolute nightmare here. Mucha comes out to try to beat Dirk Kuyt to a quick free-kick on the right of his area, but misses the ball completely. Kuyt is able to look up and square it to Wesley Sneijder to slot it into an empty net.
90 mins PENALTY GOAL by Robert Vittek (Netherlands 2-1 Slovakia)
Martin Jakubko goes down in the box under a challenge from Maarten Stekelenburg and Robert Vittek steps up to coolly slot home from the spot. Just a consolation for Slovakia, but at least they sign off from this World Cup with a goal.
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