Dutch get timely wake-up call
Source: Agencies |
June 26, 2010, Saturday
|
Print Edition
Print Edition
NETHERLANDS' 2-1 victory over Cameroon was not the stroll many people expected it to be and for the Dutch players, management and fans that is a good thing.
All too often the Dutch have cruised the early stages of tournaments, convincing themselves that everything was on song, only to come unstuck when the opposition went up a notch.
It happened at the last World Cup and in Euro 2008 when, just at this tournament, they secured qualification with a game to spare. Four years ago they were knocked out by Portugal in a bad-tempered second-round match while two years ago it was Russia which brought their progress to an abrupt halt.
After Robin van Persie's opening goal in the 36th minute, Cameroon clawed its way back in the game with a 65th-minute penalty for Rafael van der Vaart handball on Geremi's free kick.
"The penalty awoke us from our slumber," said Bert van Marwijk said. "In the second half we started too easily, it was sloppy, and then you're bound to end up having problems. You cannot afford that period of negligence and we have to get rid of it, whatever it takes.
"This is certainly a lesson for our next game. We cannot allow ourselves to have a period of such complacency on Monday."
Next up for the Dutch are Slovakia, which shocked the world -- but not Van Marwijk -- by beating world champion Italy 3-2.
"They impressed us in qualification and I said before the game it would not surprise me if they beat Italy," he said. "That showed you just cannot underestimate an opponent. If we just concentrated on the previous two matches and some good moments from today then of course that's when you see our best, but you cannot afford to have 20 minutes where you are so nonchalant."
Van Persie's goal, following one in 2006, made him the fourth Dutch player to score in two World Cups, joining an illustrious trio of John Rep, Rob Rensenbrink and Dennis Bergkamp.
Meanwhile, Cameroon goes home without a single point, after a campaign marred by a bitter selection row with coach and a failure to live up to billing as Africa's best team at the tournament.
Boasting one of the world's best forwards in Samuel Eto'o and a long World Cup pedigree, expectations were high that Cameroon could progress from a group featuring Netherlands, Japan and Denmark.
But this, its sixth World Cup, has turned out to be the worst ever for the 1990 quarterfinalist, which lost all three group games and was left ruing its terrible luck after failing to find a winning touch despite some spirited football.
"We are very, very disappointed. The team did play well but we didn't win," a visibly downcast midfielder Alexandre Song said.
His absence from a disastrous opening game against Japan alongside that of seasoned defenders Geremi and Rigobert Song caused friction between players and coach Paul Le Guen, who later restored him and Geremi to his lineup against Denmark.
"Maybe I didn't succeed in unifying the team and bringing the team together ... perhaps I made mistakes in the squad of 23 I chose," Le Guen said, adding he would be leaving his post.
"I thought the team would be a good mix of experience and youth. I will not point fingers or accuse anyone," he added.
All too often the Dutch have cruised the early stages of tournaments, convincing themselves that everything was on song, only to come unstuck when the opposition went up a notch.
It happened at the last World Cup and in Euro 2008 when, just at this tournament, they secured qualification with a game to spare. Four years ago they were knocked out by Portugal in a bad-tempered second-round match while two years ago it was Russia which brought their progress to an abrupt halt.
After Robin van Persie's opening goal in the 36th minute, Cameroon clawed its way back in the game with a 65th-minute penalty for Rafael van der Vaart handball on Geremi's free kick.
"The penalty awoke us from our slumber," said Bert van Marwijk said. "In the second half we started too easily, it was sloppy, and then you're bound to end up having problems. You cannot afford that period of negligence and we have to get rid of it, whatever it takes.
"This is certainly a lesson for our next game. We cannot allow ourselves to have a period of such complacency on Monday."
Next up for the Dutch are Slovakia, which shocked the world -- but not Van Marwijk -- by beating world champion Italy 3-2.
"They impressed us in qualification and I said before the game it would not surprise me if they beat Italy," he said. "That showed you just cannot underestimate an opponent. If we just concentrated on the previous two matches and some good moments from today then of course that's when you see our best, but you cannot afford to have 20 minutes where you are so nonchalant."
Van Persie's goal, following one in 2006, made him the fourth Dutch player to score in two World Cups, joining an illustrious trio of John Rep, Rob Rensenbrink and Dennis Bergkamp.
Meanwhile, Cameroon goes home without a single point, after a campaign marred by a bitter selection row with coach and a failure to live up to billing as Africa's best team at the tournament.
Boasting one of the world's best forwards in Samuel Eto'o and a long World Cup pedigree, expectations were high that Cameroon could progress from a group featuring Netherlands, Japan and Denmark.
But this, its sixth World Cup, has turned out to be the worst ever for the 1990 quarterfinalist, which lost all three group games and was left ruing its terrible luck after failing to find a winning touch despite some spirited football.
"We are very, very disappointed. The team did play well but we didn't win," a visibly downcast midfielder Alexandre Song said.
His absence from a disastrous opening game against Japan alongside that of seasoned defenders Geremi and Rigobert Song caused friction between players and coach Paul Le Guen, who later restored him and Geremi to his lineup against Denmark.
"Maybe I didn't succeed in unifying the team and bringing the team together ... perhaps I made mistakes in the squad of 23 I chose," Le Guen said, adding he would be leaving his post.
"I thought the team would be a good mix of experience and youth. I will not point fingers or accuse anyone," he added.
- About Us
- |
- Terms of Use
- |
-
RSS - |
- Privacy Policy
- |
- Contact Us
- |
- Shanghai Call Center: 962288
- |
- Tip-off hotline: 52920043
- 沪ICP证：沪ICP备05050403号-1
- |
- 互联网新闻信息服务许可证：31120180004
- |
- 网络视听许可证：0909346
- |
- 广播电视节目制作许可证：沪字第354号
- |
- 增值电信业务经营许可证：沪B2-20120012
Copyright © 1999- Shanghai Daily. All rights reserved.Preferably viewed with Internet Explorer 8 or newer browsers.
