Netherlands vs Japan, 2010 FIFA World Cup, Group Stage

· FIFA World Cup

Netherlands

53': Wesley Sneijder

FT
1 - 0

Japan

About

Netherlands are hosting Japan at Moses Mabhida Stadium, Durban, South Africa, starting on . The match is a part of the FIFA World Cup.

Match Timeline

0':
0': Arjen Robben reckon Holland can win the whole thing... he may have to get fit before that happens though.
0': Join us at 1130 GMT to see if Netherlands and Japan can continue their good starts in the competition.
0': Welcome to the live commentary for the game between Netherlands and Japan.
0': Arjen Robben remains on the bench as the Dutch are unchanged after their win over Denmark.
0': Japan also won their opening group game, against Cameroon, so a win for either side would put them in the box seat for a place in the second round.
0': The national anthems have been played out, so now on to the match.
0': Japan are unchanged, too, a sign of confidence after that opening win.
1': It's Netherlands to kick-off.
2': Van der Vaart is fouled by Honda, free-kick in their own half.
3': Now Honda is felled, by Van Bommel. And the ref just has a few words with De Jong and Hasebe, telling the players to calm down.
4': Netherlands enjoying a lot of early possession.
5': Van Persie plays in a deep cross from the left and Nagatomo is forced to head behind
6': Van der Vaart plays in the corner from the right, and Tulio is there to head to safety.
7': Netherlands have already completed as many passes as England seemed to do last night.
8': ESPN Stats & Info: Holland have won their three World Cup games against Asian sides, scoring 10 goals in the process.
9': Van Persie is caught by Matsui. Holland try to take the free-kick quickly but the ref wasn't ready. Dangerous, 25 yards from goal.
9': Komano got a boot in the face when Van Persie went down. He's off on a stretcher. Will he be back?
10': Sneijder stands over it, considering his options. He goes for the shot but it's always rising over.
11': Nice play from Holland, but Kuyt overhits his cross.
11': It comes back in, Kuyt goes for the overhead kick but he fails to make a proper connection.
12': Komano is patched up and back on.
13': Nagatomo gets forward, and fires wide from the edge of the box. Not the worst effort we'll see today.
14': ESPN Stats & Info: In the first eight minutes of the match, Netherlands attempted 77 passes compared to just 13 by Japan.
15': Nagatomo trips Van Persie, free-kick on the right flank and another chance to deliver. Tulio heads it away but the ref spotted a foul anyway.
16': We have our first Mexican Wave...
17':
Keisuke Honda vies with Netherlands midfielder Nigel de Jong.
18': It's gone a little scrappy. Hoepfully not for long.
19': Neither keeper has had anything to do yet. It's going to be another one of those games I fear.
20': Foul by Van Persie on Tulio.
21': You may detect from the lack of updates that nothing is happening. Whatsoever.
22': You will be able to get the thoughts of our man in Holland, Ernst Bouwes, later today. We're not sure what he'll be writing about. There's nothing here.
23': Japan are happy to let Netherlands have possession. And Netherlands don't seem too bothered about moving it upfield.
24': Stekelenburg and Van Der Wiel have just spent 30 seconds deciding whether or not to take the goal-kick long. It's fascinating stuff.
25':
Netherlands striker Dirk Kuyt vies with Japan's midfielder Yuki Abe.
26': Van Persie tried to fend off Nakazawa with his hand, and Nakazawa goes down clutching his face. Nowhere near his face, and the ref isn't fooled.
27': ESPN Stats & Info: In their first match Japan attempted the fewest shots (three) of any team since Saudi Arabia v Germany in 2002.
28': It truly is a stinker, it must get better.
29': Three shots in almost half an hour, all off target.
30': Nakazawa is caught late by Van der Vaart, free-kick.
31': Van der Vaart just escapes his man over on the left, but his cross hits Nakazawa in the face.
32': Last night was a late one watching the dreadful England performance. A game like this was not what I needed.
33': Van Brockhorst gets a knee in the chest from Komano, he's winded slightly.
34': Free-kick to Japan. It's 35 yards from goal. Oooooh!
35': Endo swings it into the box, he finds the unmarked Honda but he can only manage to head way over the bar. Four shots.
36':
Gregory Van Der Wiel of Netherlands evades the tackle by Yasuhito Endo.
37': Now a free-kick to Netherlands. Way out, almost 40 yards.
37': It's Sneijder who chips it in, nowhere near an orange shirt.
37': Gregory Van Der Wiel - he blocked off Matsui.
38': Endo takes the free-kick deep into the area, Tulio rises highest but heads wide.
39': Finally some good play by Japan, they never really seem confident in the move but Matsui gets a shot in after some poor control. It's on target! The first of the day! But very easy for the keeper.
40': We're being treated to several fascinating slow-mo replays. There's nothing else to show.
41': De Jong trips Okubo, free-kick midway inside the Dutch half
42': It's 40 yards out. Honda shoots ... a waste of everyone's time.
43': Honda has Van Bronckhorst backtracking, he tries to feed in Okubo in the area but plays the pass behind him.
44': I'm hoping half-time will bring about a change of tactics. It's probably going to bring nothing more than a cup of tea and a chocolate bourbon.
45': One minute to be added on.
45': And there it is, the half-time whistle and thank the Lord for that.
45': I'd like to say this game must get better, but I'm not sure it will. Maybe Robben and Elia could transform it.
45': Comment from Tom Adams: Netherlands have enjoyed plenty of possession but have no cutting edge. Surely Van Marwijk needs to summon Robben or Elia from the bench.
45': If you want to relive Friday's nightmare, then Richard Jolly finds few positives from a shockingly bad England performance against Algeria.
45': If anyone is doing the Panini sticker album, I just need 52, 108 and 364.
45': The players are about to come back out. An exciting 45 minutes is ahead of us.
45': It seems we have no changes to either side.
45': Endo is giving a quick peptalk to the Japan players - who also get in a huddle.
46': And the second half is underway.
47': Mathijsen guards the ball out for a goal-kick under pressure from Matsui.
48': Sneijder's shot is well blocked by Endo
49': The ball is worked wide the Van Brockhorst, who plants a cross onto the head of Van Persie but there's not power in the effort and Kawashima collects.
50': Great ball over the top from Van Bommel, Van Persie has got in advance of Nakazawa but his first-time shot is weak and wide.
51': Tulio is penalised for blocking Van Persie. Seemed a bit harsh. Free-kick on the right and a chance to put it into the box.
52': Sneijder purposefully stands five yards offside, trying to cause carnage. Great cross from Van der Vaart and Tulio has to flick it behind.
52': The corner comes in and Tulio is there once more to head out of the box this time.
52': Another corner to Netherlands. They are starting to get control of the game now.
53': Sneijder takes, and it's Tulio who heads away again.
53': GOAL! Van Persie lays a pass back to Sneijder who belts it home from 20 yards. It was a howler by Kawashima, who got a hand to it but it was a weak effort at keeping the shot out.
54': Okubo shoots from 23 yards out, it's weak and easy for Stekelenburg.
55': So, we have a game at long last and the Dutch deserved it from the way they came out after the break.
56': ESPN Stats & Info: That's the seventh goal from outside the box at the 2010 FIFA World Cup.
57': Another shot from Okubo, this time it goes over.
58': Japan have stepped up their game, they clearly came to Durban for a point.
59': Corner to Japan, Endo goes over to the left to take.
59': It's taken short to Matsui and it results in another corner.
60': Japan have three corners in total but create nothing.
61': Van der Vaart fells Nakazawa. Free-kick and a chance to put it into the mixer.
62': Endo takes, it's flicked on by Abe but straight to Stekelenburg.
63': ESPN Stats & Info: Japan have never won a World Cup match when letting in the first goal.
63': Japan are a different side now, unrecognisable from the one before the goal.
64': SUB: Shunsuke Nakamura for Daisuke Matsui
65': Another effort from Okubo, this time his low, curling shot goes wide of the keeper's left post.
66': Van Persie goes down holding his foot after a tangle with Okubo. He'll be fine.
67': The free-kick was give, though. Van der Vaart's delivery was terrible and the ball doesn't make it to the box before being cleared.
68': Sneijder crosses from the left, there's too much on it and it goes over Van Persie's head.
69': ESPN Stats & Info: Sneijder has two goals in his two games against Japan and three in his last four games overall.
70': Endo crosses from the left, Van Persie tries to clear and slices it over his own crossbar. That could easily have gone in the back of his own net.
71': Komano gets into a good crossing position and puts it straight out. What a waste.
72': SUB: Rafael Van der Vaart is replaced by Eljero Elia.
73': Elia played really well against Denmark. Hopefully he can produce some more trickery.
74': Van der Vaart has an ice pack on his knee. We may see more of Elia against Cameroon.
75': Netherlands seem to be back in control now.
76': SUB: Double change for Japan: Yoshito Okubo and Makoto Hasebe are replaced by Shinji Okazaki and Keiji Tamada
77': Elia almost gets Van Persie through on goal, Kawashima reads it and comes out to collect.
78':
Netherlands midfielder Wesley Sneijder celebartes.
79': Van Der Wiel crosses from the right, only hits Tulio.
80': Nakamura cust inside and tries to find Nagatomo down the line, but Nagatomo's control is poor and it's a goal-kick.
81':
Netherlands midfielder Wesley Sneijder (10) celebartes with team-mates.
82': ESPN Stats & Info: Netherlands have won all eight of their competitive games in which Sneijder has scored.
83': Honda crosses from the right, it's just beyond Tulio.
83': SUB: Wesley Sneijder is off, on comes Ibrahim Afellay.
84': Van Persie tries a but of trickery down the line but is marshalled by four defenders, and they eventually steal the ball back.
85': De Jong trips Abe.
85': Afellay gets free down the line and breaks into the box, his touch is too heavy which allows Kawashima to come out and smother. That should have been two.
86': Time is ticking away for Japan.
87': SUB: Klaas-Jan Huntelaar is on for Robin Van Persie.
88': Huntelaar takes possession, Afellay takes it off his toes and breaks into the box, this time his shot gets past the keeper but Tulio (eventually) clears.
89': Afellay should have two now, but I don't think it is going to cost Holland.
89': ESPN Stats & Info: Netherlands have only won a World Cup match 1-0 once before, against Serbia & Montenegro in 2006.
90': Oooooooh! The ball is headed on into the area, Okazaki is in the clear and he should have levelled but he blazed it over.
90': We;ve played one of three added minutes.
90': Penalty! No, no. That looked like a penalty to Japan, the ref pointed forwards but it was for a goal-kick and not a spot-kick.
90': It was De Jong who bundled into Nagatomo. It looked a penalty at first but the replays show the ref was correct.
90': FULL TIME
90': It wasn't great by Netherlands, but they definitely deserved the win.
90': It means Netherlands will be through as long as Cameroon do not win tonight.
90': Make sure you head over and read our match report for all the gory details of the game.

Statistics

JPN		NED
11	Fouls	18
0	Yellow Cards	1
0	Red Cards	0
1	Offsides	2
5	Corner Kicks	4
4	Saves	3
39	Possession	61
10	SHOTS	9
3	ON GOAL	5
0.2	On Target %	0.5
0	Penalty Goals	0
0	Penalty Kicks Taken	0
226	Accurate Passes	500
300	Passes	578
0.8	Pass Completion %	0.9
5	Accurate Crosses	3
15	Crosses	26
0.3	Cross %	0.1
49	Long Balls	73
22	Accurate Long Balls	42
0.4	Long Balls %	0.6
0	Blocked Shots	2
9	Effective Tackles	17
14	Tackles	21
0.6	Tackle %	0.8
0	Interceptions	0
17	Effective Clearances	7
30	Clearances	14

Game Information

Competition: FIFA World Cup

Venue: Moses Mabhida Stadium
Location: Durban, South Africa
Attendance: 62,010

FIFA World Cup Table

#	TEAM	GP	GD	PTS
1	Germany	0	0	0
2	Curacao	0	0	0
3	Ivory Coast	0	0	0
4	Ecuador	0	0	0

Full Table

Line-Ups

Netherlands (4-2-3-1)

No.	Name
1	Maarten Stekelenburg (GK)
4	Joris Mathijsen
3	Johnny Heitinga
5	Giovanni van Bronckhorst
2	Gregory van der Wiel
10	Wesley Sneijder
8	Nigel de Jong
6	Mark van Bommel
9	Robin van Persie
23	Rafael van der Vaart
7	Dirk Kuyt

Netherlands Substitutes:

Michel Vorm, Stijn Schaars, Andre Ooijer, Eljero Elia, Demy De Zeeuw, Ibrahim Afellay, Sander Boschker, Klaas-Jan Huntelaar, Edson Braafheid, Arjen Robben, Ryan Babel, Khalid Boulahrouz.

Japan (4-3-3)

No.	Name
21	Eiji Kawashima (GK)
4	Marcus Tulio Tanaka
22	Yuji Nakazawa
5	Yuto Nagatomo
3	Yuichi Komano
2	Yuki Abe
7	Yasuhito Endo
17	Makoto Hasebe
18	Keisuke Honda
16	Yoshito Okubo
8	Daisuke Matsui

Japan Substitutes:

Keiji Tamada, Yoshikatsu Kawaguchi, Daiki Iwamasa, Takayuki Morimoto, Seigo Narazaki, Yasuyuki Konno, Kisho Yano, Shinji Okazaki, Kengo Nakamura, Junichi Inamoto, Atsuto Uchida, Shunsuke Nakamura.

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