GROUP E
▲Denmark
▲Netherlands
PHOTO: AFP
The Netherlands got their World Cup campaign off to a winning start yesterday with a 2-0 victory over Denmark thanks to an own-goal and a late tap-in from Liverpool’s Dirk Kuyt.
The star-studded Dutch are among the favorites to win the World Cup in the final at Soccer City on July 11, but Bert van Marwijk’s side failed to impress at the same venue as the pragmatic Danes defended well.
An own-goal by Danish defender Simon Poulsen at the start of the second-half and Kuyt’s 85th-minute effort were enough to give the Netherlands the three points.
PHOTO: REUTERS
Dutch captain Giovanni van Bronckhorst won his 100th cap and coach Bert van Marwijk left out Arjen Robben to give the winger more time to recover from a torn thigh.
Despite the Dutch boasting a forward line including Arsenal striker Robin van Persie supported by midfielders Inter’s Wesley Sneijder, Kuyt and Real Madrid’s Rafael van der Vaart, the Danish defense held firm.
Kuyt had the first shot of the game on 10 minutes when he fired his effort at Danish goalkeeper Thomas Sorensen who controlled the ball after an initial fumble.
PHOTO: EPA
PRESSURE
Just as the Dutch attacked relentlessly, so the Danes soaked up the pressure in front of a 83,465-strong crowd.
Denmark created a chance of their own on 27 minutes when Ajax winger Dennis Rommedahl’s pass found Arsenal striker Nicklas Bendtner at the far post, but he headed wide.
PHOTO: AFP
Bendtner then sent Thomas Kahlenberg clear on the left side of the area in the 37th, but his shot was pushed out for a corner by Maarten Stekelenburg
The Dutch kept up the pressure, but the Danes were quick on the counter-attack.
With the second-half barely begun, the Danes got the worst possible start when Poulsen headed away a van Persie cross, but watched in horror as the ball rolled across the line off the shoulder of teammate Daniel Agger on 46 minutes.
The Dutch were rarely tested with Nigel de Jong and Mark van Bommel bossing the midfield, but neither did the Netherlands pose much of a threat to the Danish defense until the game’s last quarter.
Bendtner, who had not been expected to be fit enough to play, made way for Copenhagen’s veteran Jesper Gronkjaer, while van der Vaart came off for Eljero Elia, who created the second goal.
The Dutch upped the ante in the last 15 minutes and after Elia hit the post, Kuyt was on hand to tap the ball past Sorensen.
“We wanted to play beautiful football but we lost the ball,” Van Marwijk said after the game. “[But] from time to time you could see how good we can be.’’
Dutch playmaker Sneijder said: “I don’t think we played that well in the first half, but in the second we really deserved to win.
“The Danes in the first half did an excellent job, because they studied us very thoroughly,” the Inter star said.
‘COLD WATER’
Denmark coach Morten Olsen said: “That was like a bucket of cold water over our heads.”
“Simon Poulsen was one of our better players but he was unlucky. It’s one of those things that happens in football,” he said.
“We had to take some chances,” Olsen said. “But we couldn’t let Bendtner play more than one hour. We still have two important games.’’
Bendtner played as a lone striker up front as Denmark employed a five-man midfield to stop the Netherlands’ trademark quick passing game.
The Dutch next face Japan in Durban on Saturday, the same day Denmark play Cameroon in Tshwane.
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