One of the most talented sides in world football, Netherlands, were probably not at their best in the first game, but proved they have the grit and determination to even win an ugly contest. For most of their Group E match against Denmark, they were shut out by the resolute Denmark defence, but they still managed to come out with a win.
And after registering 3 points from the first game, they now take on the well-organized Japan team at the Moses Mabhida Stadium in Durban, which will be essentially a match to determine who goes to the next round from Group E.
Japan, in their first match, were made to work extremely hard by Cameroon, who tested the Japanese defence on many occasions, but a proper game plan and good execution meant Japan tamed the Indomitable Lions with a one goal win.
If the opening games of both teams are anything to go by, then Holland vs Japan may turn out to be one of the most tightest encounters of the World Cup, which may see more of a tactical battle rather then some free flowing football.
But the natural flair and creativity of the Dutch side may yet prevail, and hopefully it will be an open game.
Interestingly, the two teams have only met once before, which was in September last year, where Holland came out as 3 nil winners, but the score-line does not tell the whole story. The Japanese side, even on that day, displaced an organized game plan, and the Dutch were kept out till the 70th minute, and later Robin Van Persie, Wesley Sneijder and Klaas-Jan Huntelaar got one goal each. All 3 players are in the squad for Netherlands for the World Cup, with two of them certain to start the match.
Holland have been quite unlucky as far as the World Cup is concerned, as they lost in the final of the World Cup on successive occasions in the 70s, and in the last edition did not even manage to make it to the finals.
The Holland team is full of stars, such as Arsenal man Robin Van Persie, who has one of the most feared left foots in English football, and can also be very useful from set pieces. Talking about left foots, who can forget the performance of Arjen Robben for his club Bayern Munich in the season gone by? He was instrumental for his side, in winning the domestic league, the German Cup, and also made it to the final of the Champions League; his constant runs on the wing and countless balls in the box are key to the Dutch attack. The goalkeeper Vander Sar, although on the wrong side of 30s and nearing the end of his career, is considered one of the best in the business, and has had 4 brilliant seasons with Manchester United, where he also made the record of the most number of consecutive clean sheets. In the midfield, Van Der Vart is also the main-man who is used to score goals, while Huntelar and Kuyt are lethal poachers at the front of the attack. Therefore, all in all they certainly are a bunch of extremely talented players.
Their performance in the first game, however, did not do justice to the reputation of the team. A 2 nil score-line was somewhat flattering; a first half own-goal followed by a late effort by Kuyt was less than convincing, but the credit should be given to the Dane defence, and no doubt Japan may have taken some notes from that match. However, the Asian Giants will not be going in to avoid defeat, but to get 3 points and make it to the next round. Once again the man to watch from Japan has to be Nakamura, who has been playing in European football for number of years now.
Let’s hope the match will produce some quality football, as the creativity of Holland will be put to test against the tactical brilliance of Japan.
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