Japan, Netherlands grind out wins
Source: Agencies |
June 15, 2010, Tuesday
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Print Edition
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KEISUKE Honda carried Japan to its first World Cup finals victory on foreign soil when he scored the goal which beat Cameroon 1-0 in a Group E match in Bloemfontein yesterday.
Paul Le Guen's Cameroon had been expected to ease to victory against an out-of-form Japan in what on paper appeared its easiest group fixture.
Takeshi Okada's Japan had other ideas and bustled its way to a deserved win to join the Netherlands as the day's Group E winners after the Dutch beat Denmark 2-0 in the early match.
A dour first half was briefly illuminated by Honda's 39th minute goal. Daisuke Matsui was allowed time and space on the right wing to float in a cross that evaded everyone but Honda at the far post, who finished neatly.
Cameroon had registered the game's first shot on goal shortly before Honda's strike but the Indomitable Lions failed on too many occasions to feed the ball to their front three. They improved after the break with captain Samuel Eto'o beating four players down the right wing before setting up Eric Choupo Moting, who curled his shot wide of the far post.
Cameroon's Stephane Mbia hit the bar late on with a rasping 30 meter drive but the African side, which left first-choice midfielder Alexandre Song on the bench, did not threaten enough as Japan left Honda up front while the rest defended their lead.
In Johannesburg, the Netherlands needed a couple of lucky bounces to break down Denmark's sturdy defense as it struggled to live up to its billing as one of the most dangerous attacking teams at the World Cup.
The Dutch took the lead through a fluke own goal in the 46th when Denmark defender Simon Poulsen headed a ball off the back of teammate Daniel Agger and into the net, when trying to clear a cross from Robin van Persie.
Dirk Kuyt doubled the lead in the 85th when he tapped in a rebound off the post from close range.
Denmark had frustrated the Dutch until the own goal with a compact midfield, and the Netherlands never came close to the free-flowing, high-scoring type of play their fans have become accustomed to, despite several other chances.
"We wanted to play beautiful football but we lost the ball," Netherlands coach Bert Van Marwijk said. "(But) from time to time you could see how good we can be."
They still had to rely on a bit of luck, as Van Persie beat an onrushing Thomas Sorensen to a long through ball down the left flank before squaring up to send a cross into the area.
Poulsen had plenty of time and space to clear the ball, but his off-balance header bounced off Agger's back before trickling into the net.
"That was like a bucket of cold water over our heads," Denmark coach Morten Olsen said. "Simon Poulsen was one of our better players but he was unlucky. It's one of those things that happens in football."
Poulsen said he saw the ball too late, and that it "practically hit me in the face." "I was just thinking, this can't be happening," he said.
After wasting a number of chances to double the lead, substitute Eljero Elia broke clear into the area and rolled his shot past Danish keeper Thomas Sorensen and against the post. But the ball bounced straight out toward Kuyt, who beat his marker to tap the rebound into an empty net.
"I don't think we played that well in the first half, but in the second we really deserved to win," Netherlands playmaker Wesley Sneijder said. "The Danes in the first half did an excellent job, because they studied us very thoroughly."
Bendtner played as a lone striker up front as Denmark employed a five-man midfield to stop the Netherlands' trademark quick passing game.
Paul Le Guen's Cameroon had been expected to ease to victory against an out-of-form Japan in what on paper appeared its easiest group fixture.
Takeshi Okada's Japan had other ideas and bustled its way to a deserved win to join the Netherlands as the day's Group E winners after the Dutch beat Denmark 2-0 in the early match.
A dour first half was briefly illuminated by Honda's 39th minute goal. Daisuke Matsui was allowed time and space on the right wing to float in a cross that evaded everyone but Honda at the far post, who finished neatly.
Cameroon had registered the game's first shot on goal shortly before Honda's strike but the Indomitable Lions failed on too many occasions to feed the ball to their front three. They improved after the break with captain Samuel Eto'o beating four players down the right wing before setting up Eric Choupo Moting, who curled his shot wide of the far post.
Cameroon's Stephane Mbia hit the bar late on with a rasping 30 meter drive but the African side, which left first-choice midfielder Alexandre Song on the bench, did not threaten enough as Japan left Honda up front while the rest defended their lead.
In Johannesburg, the Netherlands needed a couple of lucky bounces to break down Denmark's sturdy defense as it struggled to live up to its billing as one of the most dangerous attacking teams at the World Cup.
The Dutch took the lead through a fluke own goal in the 46th when Denmark defender Simon Poulsen headed a ball off the back of teammate Daniel Agger and into the net, when trying to clear a cross from Robin van Persie.
Dirk Kuyt doubled the lead in the 85th when he tapped in a rebound off the post from close range.
Denmark had frustrated the Dutch until the own goal with a compact midfield, and the Netherlands never came close to the free-flowing, high-scoring type of play their fans have become accustomed to, despite several other chances.
"We wanted to play beautiful football but we lost the ball," Netherlands coach Bert Van Marwijk said. "(But) from time to time you could see how good we can be."
They still had to rely on a bit of luck, as Van Persie beat an onrushing Thomas Sorensen to a long through ball down the left flank before squaring up to send a cross into the area.
Poulsen had plenty of time and space to clear the ball, but his off-balance header bounced off Agger's back before trickling into the net.
"That was like a bucket of cold water over our heads," Denmark coach Morten Olsen said. "Simon Poulsen was one of our better players but he was unlucky. It's one of those things that happens in football."
Poulsen said he saw the ball too late, and that it "practically hit me in the face." "I was just thinking, this can't be happening," he said.
After wasting a number of chances to double the lead, substitute Eljero Elia broke clear into the area and rolled his shot past Danish keeper Thomas Sorensen and against the post. But the ball bounced straight out toward Kuyt, who beat his marker to tap the rebound into an empty net.
"I don't think we played that well in the first half, but in the second we really deserved to win," Netherlands playmaker Wesley Sneijder said. "The Danes in the first half did an excellent job, because they studied us very thoroughly."
Bendtner played as a lone striker up front as Denmark employed a five-man midfield to stop the Netherlands' trademark quick passing game.
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