Netherlands vs. Slovakia; 1-0 at half Time
Netherlands started as favourites in this game against Slovakia, where a spot in the Quarter-Finals is up for grabs. Good news for the Dutch teams, and fans alike, as Arjen Robben is fit and starts the game. Slovakia were looking to cause an upset in a World Cup that has seen the likes of France, Italy and England already eliminated and we haven't even reached the Quarter-Finals yet.
Slovakia were faster off the blocks and only had to wait 2 minutes for their first opportunity as Jendrisek's shot just went over the bar from about 20 yards. Slovakia have already upset a European giant, Italy, but this is a completely different prospect.
The Dutch started to come back into the game as the half wore on. Van Persie should really have done better with his chance in the 8th minute, when he failed to hit the target from a close-range header. The ball took a deflection, though, and the referee awarded the Netherlands a corner which was defended well by the Slovaks.
It took Arjen Robben only 18 minutes to make his mark on the match in his first start of the World Cup. A goal that has become his trademark, cutting inside two players before hitting a low shot past the Slovak Goalkeeper, Mucha, who could do nothing about it. An excellent pass by Sneijder in the build up but there was still a lot of work to be done and Robben showed his class to make it 1-0 to the Netherlands.
The Slovaks tried to bring themselves back into the game but they lacked penetration and even a one goal lead looked like it was going to be too much for them to overcome.
Robben was, perhaps a little harshly, booked in the 30th minute for handball. The Referee ought to be more careful before handing out cards, especially since suspensions can really damage a team's hopes in the tournament.
The referee blew the half-time whistle with the score at 1-0. The Dutch would be pleased with their efforts so far, and will be looking to secure the win by adding another goal, or two. The Slovaks, on the other hand, have a mountain to climb as they look to turn around the match against truly world class opposition.
Tags: