PREVIEW
▲Netherlands
▲Denmark
PHOTO: AFP
Netherlands coach Bert van Marwijk’s side face two dangers when they start their World Cup Group E campaign at Ellis Park today — opponents Denmark and the possibility of being too confident.
The Dutch, who sealed a place in the finals after winning all their qualifying matches, carried that form into their World Cup warm-up games and will kickoff among the favorites to finish as world champions in a month’s time.
Van Marwijk told reporters at the Dutch training base at Wits University in Johannesburg: “Yes, we did excellently in our warm-up matches, but we are taking nothing for granted against any opponents in the World Cup. We believe we can do well, and now we must go and do it.”
PHOTO: EPA
Expectations remains high at home that his team can go one better than the sides of 1974 and 1978 who lost in successive World Cup finals and there is a sense within the Dutch squad that they do not just want to win, but do it in style.
Striker Robin van Persie, who has netted four goals in three warm-up games, said he wanted to do more than just score goals in South Africa.
“Every striker is judged on the goals he scores, but I want to give more to the game. I’d be happy with more assists than goals,” he said. “That may sound odd, but that is my ambition because it will make the team better.”
The Dutch, who have not lost to Denmark for 43 years, will be without injured winger Arjen Robben (hamstring).
The match will be significant for captain Giovanni van Bronckhorst, who will become the fourth Dutchman to win 100 caps after Edwin van der Sar, Frank de Boer and Philip Cocu.
Netherlands’ strength lies in their attack, with the “Big Four” — as the Dutch media call them — of Van Persie, Wesley Sneijder, Rafael van der Vaart and Robben, when he returns from injury, the key to their success.
However, Denmark winger Dennis Rommedahl believes the towering Dutch expectations could give his side an advantage.
“The players are being realistic, but people in Holland and the media think that they only have to turn up and pick up the trophy,” he told reporters. “Everyone expects them to beat us quite easily and so we have nothing to lose on Monday, which can result in a surprise.”
With Robben likely to be replaced by the industrious Dirk Kuyt, for the opener at least, the Danish defense is going to be severely tested, but their coach Morten Olsen has faith in his side to deal with the threat.
“It’s all about how you play on the day,” Olsen said. “That’s the name of the game at the World Cup. You are only playing for four weeks and you have to maintain your form every day.”
Olsen, who celebrates 10 years as national team coach at the finals, has one main injury worry in striker Nicklas Bendtner.
The 22-year-old, who has been bothered by a nagging groin problem, has not played since May. He showed signs of returning to match fitness this week when he began training again with the squad, but has little chance of playing against the Netherlands.
Bendtner’s place is likely to be taken by Jon Dahl Tomasson or Soren Larsen, while first-choice goalkeeper Thomas Sorensen should be fully fit after recovering from a dislocated elbow.
For some, Cristiano Ronaldo remains the essential spearhead for Portugal’s FIFA World Cup bid, while others believe his presence would prevent Roberto Martinez’s strong side from flourishing. The debate around the five-time Ballon d’Or winner rages on, as it did at UEFA Euro 2024 and four years ago in Qatar — yet Ronaldo endures, ready to play in a record sixth World Cup. The 41-year-old remains a global superstar despite swapping the European elite for Saudi Arabia’s Al-Nassr, and is the leading men’s international goalscorer with 143 strikes. With 25 of those coming in 30 games under Martinez, the coach
Taiwanese tennis star Hsieh Su-wei on Wednesday advanced to the second round of the mixed doubles at the French Open, after she and German partner Mark Wallner defeated Slovenian Andreja Klepac and Briton Lloyd Glasspool in straight sets, despite temperatures exceeding 32°C in Paris, while Taiwan’s top men’s doubles player Ray Ho also reached the second round. Hsieh, who made it to the semi-finals in the mixed doubles at Roland Garros in 2024, and Wallner defeated Klepac and Glasspool 6-3, 7-5 in just more than an hour, converting three of five break points, while holding their opponents to just one conversion
FAST AND LOOSE: Despite command struggles, Ohtani has pitched his way out of trouble after falling behind in counts, which manager Roberts credited to his velocity Shohei Ohtani on Wednesday night tossed six innings of no-hit ball, gave himself an early lead with a home run and still was not satisfied with his performance. The Los Angeles Dodgers’ two-way superstar dropped some expletives that were picked up by the on-field mic as he struggled with his command in a 4-1 win over the Colorado Rockies. He struck out seven, walked four and gave up an earned run in the fourth inning while visibly fuming on the mound. Ohtani (5-2) earned his third consecutive victory. “Just command was off, and I just felt like I was battling the lack of
Taiwanese sprinter Chen Yi-cen on Friday won the silver medal in the women’s 400m final at the Asian U20 Athletics Championships in Hong Kong, with a time of 53.16 seconds. Chen, 15, was the youngest among the eight finalists, and her performance also met the qualifying standard of 53.50 seconds for the Nagoya Asian Games in Japan in September and October. Chen first made her mark at the National Games in Tainan in 2023, at the age of 13, winning the women’s 400m final in 55.55 seconds to become the youngest gold medalist in the history of the event. Meanwhile,
RSS