WC 2010 Liveblog: Netherlands v. Japan

Harmony

After yesterday, I can safely say I have no clue what’s going to happen for the rest of the World Cup. With some teams mired in disappointment and others performing well to the pundits’ pleasant surprise — not that any of them really prepared for this World Cup beyond getting a new haircut — all bets are off.

Ergo, a revised prediction: Uruguay over Chile in the final.

And so we turn to two teams kinda straddling the categories laid out above: a disappointing Holland who flattered to deceive in their 2-0 opening win over an ancient Denmark side, and a Japanese team, railed for their “robotic” style and riddled with a coach predicting a semi-final finish, who displayed unusual levels of fortitude in their 1-0 opening victory against a fancied, fast Cameroon.

Winner of this gets top spot most likely and feels more comfortable heading into the final round of games. It’ll probably be the Netherlands, provided that they can overcome some hilarious rumored disagreements (as outlined here and here), but considering the wild and wacky nature of the last couple of days, maybe Japan will win 4-1.

If the Samurai Blue do shock us this morning, I’m guessing Dirk Kuyt’s lazy, sloppy soundbite was the inspiration. Quipped Sloth: “We have a lot of players in our team who like sushi and we hope to have Japan for dinner,” before clogging off into the distance with fresh tulips for dinner.

Netherlands. Japan. Ridiculously early on a Saturday. LET’S DO THIS!
Be back at 7.15a with lineups, guff, and sarcastic commentary.

Holland (4-2-3-1): 1-Stekelenburg – 2-Van Der Wiel, 3-Heitinga, 4-Mathijsen, 5-Van Bronckhorst (c) – 6-Van Bommel, 8-De Jong – 7-Kuyt, 10-Sneijder, 23-Van der Vaart – 9-Van Persie.

Japan (4-5-1): 21-Kawashima – 5-Nagatomo, 23-Nakazawa, 4-Tulio Tanaka, 3-Komano – 17-Hasebe (c), 8-Matsui, 2-Abe, 7-Endo, 16-Okubo – 18-Honda. 

Referee: Hector Baldassi (Argentina).

Of note: where’s Eljero Elia? Holland looked much better once he entered the fray. I also find that it’s cute ESPN keeps formations simple, calling the Dutch lineup 4-5-1. I get why — they’re keeping midfielders grouped together, regardless of their set-up — but I still find it adorable. They’re learning!

Out they come… iconic Oranje kit and a nifty white/blue ensemble for Japan. Anthems done, so this one’s about to kick.

We’re off! Also… this.

Thanks, Nathaniel

2 mins: Not much to speak of so far. Holland trying to knock it around in the middle but not finding any room. And so, passy-pass at the back.

And what a stat: the Netherlands have never lost a World Cup team to a team from outside Europe or South America. Will today be the day?

4 mins: First corner, and it’s Dutch. Van der Vaart slips van Persie in down the left side of the box, and his cross to the back post intended for Kuyt causes enough concern that Komano nods behind. Corner doesn’t come to much.

6 mins: Honda commits a foul in midfield. This game is starting slowly. Kuyt pops up on the left flank and the Dutch are passing neatly enough considering that the Japanese midfield is quick to close them down.

Yuji Nakazawa hauls down van Persie as he tries to dance through traffic in the middle. As the Dutchman tumbles, his legs flap around and he catches Yuichi Komano on the chin with his boot. Out comes the stretcher, and there’s a bit of claret spilled.

Of course no-one is thinking for a second it was intentional, but apparently Komano’s coming off with the medics to get a quick look. Magic spray time?

In the meantime, Sneijder lingers over the free-kick, 25 yards out, wide left. He goes for goal from that narrow angle, but he can’t keep it down and it whizzes over the bar.

9 mins: van der Wiel and Kuyt combine down the right but the cross misses everyone in the middle. van der Vaart retrieves it and whips in another cross that almost finds Kuyt though Samurai Blue scramble it clear.

11 mins: Japan have their first shot on goal but it’s wide. Didn’t see who it was. Think it was Okubo?

And yes, Kuyt’s attempted bicycle kick was sweet, but are we surprised? He’s from the land of bicycles!

14 mins: van der Vaart rifles in a free kick but it ends up over the bar. Holland are the livelier and their passing game is strong as ever. Wondering what will falter first: Japan’s tireless pressing game, or Holland’s passing.

15 mins: Matsui tries to play Honda in over the top, but De Jong, van Persie, and Mathijsen are all crowding out the Japanese frontman though the ball was overhit.

16 mins: More of the Dutch passing. van der Wiel is being given plenty of opportunities to join the attack and get downfield… all of which creates overlaps and trouble for Komano. The Netherlands have throw-ins on the right side. Kuyt finds van der Wiel, but the low cross finds van Persie with his back to goal and he’s crowded out. Still, it’s all in the Japanese third right now.

Palate Cleanser/Additional Nightmare Fuel.

20 mins: So far, the Dutch have dominated both territory and possession yet are struggling to find a way through. Japan can’t keep the ball thanks to the De Jong/van Bommel combo in the middle. More passy-passy by the Netherlands, though not particularly threatening.

22 mins: I’m eating a slice of pizza. I love weekends!

23 mins: Robbie Mustoe — and I agree with y’all, he’s been one of the better commentators so far — notes that Dirk Kuyt has moved to the left flank with van der Vaart slipping in more central alongside Sneijder. I’m not sure what that does for their attack, per se, other than perhaps open space for van Persie to make diagonal runs.

van der Wiel does well to crowd out Okubo as the pair chase a long ball into the corner.

24 mins: Sleepy time by the Dutch backline as Komano’s floated crossfield pass sets Okubo free on goal, but the Japanese winger was marginally offside.

Moments later, van Persie shoves Nakazawa in the neck to keep him off the ball, and the Japanese defender flops like a sack of bricks. I was disappointed to see so many dives from Japan against Cameroon; hoping there’s not more of that highly un-Japanese behavior in this one.

Hasebe’s trickery on the right earns Japan a throw-in deep in the Dutch half via van Bronckhorst. They don’t do much with it, but you knew that already.

27 mins: This game has yet to really get going. The Dutch are moving the ball with ease in the midfield yet can’t connect in the attacking third with any kind of rhythm. Japan throw-in, deep in their own half on the left side.

A lovely move by Okubo gets him past van der Wiel and off toward goal. He fakes a couple of times but is cut down by a well-timed tackle. Possession lost, and he had a man overlap as well. Wasteful.

Moments later van der Vaart and Nakazawa clash shins in front of the ref. Free-kick to Japan.

34 mins: Sorry about that; son needed something to eat. I see I haven’t missed anything…

Free kick to the Netherlands, so naturally, Sneijder’s all over it. His cross to the back post intended for Heitinga simply never gets there.

YELLOW CARD, NETHERLANDS – van der Wiel, 35
The right full-back, drifted across to the left flank, barges across Matsui who’d beaten him on the inside. Cynical foul to break up the play, and a simple caution.

From the free kick deep in midfield and wide right, Tulio Tanaka gets to it at the back post, leaping high above Dirk Kuyt, but his header’s wide of the post. Half-chance, that.

37 mins: Trouble for the Oranje as Yuichi Komano is wide open down the right wing. Not sure where van Bronckhorst went, but the space was there. His low cross bounces tantalizingly in the box but van der Wiel does just enough to stop it reaching Honda unmarked at the back post.

38 mins: van Bommel lofts it to the back post looking for van Persie, but it bobbles out for a goal kick. This 4-2-3-1 isn’t working as it should. Suggestion: remove van der Vaart immediately. Bring on Elia. Sit back and enjoy.

40 mins: Heitinga chops down Okubo in midfield, presumably for lack of anything else to do. It’s 35+ yards out but dead central. The Japanese whisper. They’re planning something.

Except Keisuke Honda blasts it miles over the bar. Nice work, Honda.

42 mins: Neat move by Japan down the right but their final pass is sorely lacking. The Dutch defense is allowing all sorts of room for these little sorties upfield.

44 mins: This is bad soccer, folks, but not nearly as bad as that abomination I blogged some 18 hours ago. We can take some small solace in that, right?

Okubo gets all up in van der Wiel’s s**t and is flagged for a foul. Free-kick in midfield. zzzzzzz

ONE ADDED MINUTE OF “THEY’RE PLAYING SO BADLY, THEY MUST BE WEARING CLOGS” JOKES REMAINING

HALF TIME: Netherlands 0, Japan 0
What a snoozer. At least it’s the weekend and we can go back to bed after this, right? Or, if you’re like me, you can indulge in more Dutch pursuits and enjoy another slice of pizza before 10a. I love this game!

We’re off! And you have no idea how much forced enthusiasm it took to include that exclamation point.

47 mins: Sneijder gets some freedom from Yuki Abe’s shackles to find van der Vaart wide, but the cross in is poor and headed away easily. The throw-in puts more pressure on the Japanese area, though Sneijder’s shot is blocked. Another Dutch throw-in. They work it wide to van Bronckhorst who puts in a great cross. Van Persie pops up between Tulio Tanaka and Nagatomo but he can’t get enough pace on the header and it’s an easy grab for Kawashima.

49 mins: Lovely, raking pass forward by van Bommel splits the defenders and finds van Persie goalside and onside. Nevermind though, as RvP gets no pace on the shot and it dribbles to Kawashima. Soft. A waste of a super pass.

51 mins: More pressure at the Japanese end; van der Vaart floats in a menacing, in-swinging free-kick but Tulio Tanaka does brilliantly to nod it behind for a corner. The resulting cross is poor and nodded clear at the near post by Tulio Tanaka again. He’s had a good game.

Another Sneijder corner, another headed clearance by Tulio Tanaka.

GOAL – Netherlands 1, Japan 0 – Sneijder, 52
Something out of nothing. The pressure applied seems to be under control, but it’s an error by Nakazawa. Cross comes in and Nakazawa stoops low to head it clear, succeeding only in giving it to van Persie. The striker controls, holds, and passes back to Sneijder near the edge of the box, and his rasping volley is too strong for Kawashima to keep out. The goalie got good contact on it but the power on the shot took it over the line. Super shot by Sneijder; how will Japan respond?

57 mins: Okubo shoots over from 20 yards. Should have done better. Kawashima should have done better on the Dutch goal, too, but you knew that already.

58 mins: Corner to Japan. Endo takes it short to Matsui, who spins off his marker and whips in a cross that is nodded behind for another corner. That corner is then defended behind goal, leading to another corner. Endo’s delivery to the near post is mildly threatening but van Bommel nods it clear.

60 mins: Free kick for Japan, 35 yards out. Endo spins it in and Yuki Abe flicks it goalward, but Stekelenburg sees it all the way and shifts across to make a simple save.

Okubo dances down the right and floats in a nice cross but Honda can’t reach it and van der Wiel clears.

62 mins: More of that passy-pass Dutch thing they do well. More backward passing than a Jamie Carragher training session.

64 mins: Subs soon? Guys? Anyone?

SUBSTITUTION, JAPAN – Shunsuke Nakamura on, Daisuke Matsui off

And wow, Ian Darke decides to co-opt the classic quote by an English player in the 80s in reference to a Brazilian (look, I’m bad with names but I remember the progression), and the quip was that “his left foot is so cultured, he could open a tin of beans.”

Darke switches it to can of tomato soup, presumably to avoid confounding the American viewing public who would Google furiously for a translation. Also, I don’t know I would use such a quote to describe Shunsuke Nakamura. Oh well.

68 mins: Somewhere amid all that can/tin talk, Okubo curled another shot wide.

70 mins: Nice run down the right by Hasebe and his cross low across the box is right there for Okubo at the back post but Mathijsen turns it behind for a corner. They take it short, work it around and fire in another cross. It’s on goal more or less and needs a shin from a Dutch defender to deflect it out. Another Japan corner, but De Jong clears.

72 mins: Komano gets free down the right but his cross floats over the goal. Poor.

SUBSTITUTION, NETHERLANDS: Eljero Elia on, Rafael van der Vaart off

Substitution by numbers, really. Both play the left flank and thus, it’s a straight swap. Elia did well in his cameo against Denmark, generally causing trouble with more pace and incision than van der Vaart.

74 mins: This game is not very good. Van Persie is called for offside.

75 mins: van Bommel gets possession in midfield and cues a Dutch counter, though his through-ball for Sneijder is poor. Throw-in, Netherlands. They work it to Kuyt for a cross but it doesn’t clear the first defender in the box.

76 mins: Passy-pass-pass. Pass-pass-pass. Passy-passy-passy-overhit pass-goal kick Japan.

SUBSTITUTION, JAPAN – Shinji Okazaki on, Makoto Hasebe off

SUBSTITUTION, JAPAN – Keiji Tamada on, Yos**to Okubo off

So, Abe gets the armband from Hasebe, and Okada brings on two strikers for two wide midfielders.

78 mins: The Netherlands have looked unimpressive at the World Cup, but they’re still winning games. Contrast their fortunes with those of the English and French, two similarly talented teams who are playing poorly and getting punished soundly for it.

79 mins: As if to demonstrate the Dutch malaise, van der Wiel fires a cross into the defender stood no more than 5 yards from him. Japan break with Shunsuke Nakamura doing some dancing on the right edge of the box, but his slide pass through for Nagatomo was overhit. Goal kick for the Netherlands.

80 mins: Tamada runs up the middle and tries to find Okazaki but his pass is intercepted by Mathijsen.

Moments later, Honda floats a cross in from the right that Tulio Tanaka tries to reach, but it’s overhit. Goal kick, Netherlands.

SUBSTITUTION, NETHERLANDS – Ibrahim Afellay on, Wesley Sneijder off

Again, a like-for-like swap. This van Marwijk fellow must have Noah’s Ark on the bench, as every position has a doppelganger amid the subs.

83 mins: van Bommel cops an elbow in the ear from Honda as the duo leap for a high ball.

85 mins: Excitement! Afellay gets free on the left thanks to a Samurai Blue mix-up. He canters in on goal, bearing down on Kawashima, and has van Persie in the middle flanked by defenders. The sub opts to shoot, but his touch is poor and the low, soft side-footed shot is easily blocked by the goalkeeper. Shoulda done better, Ibrahim.

87 mins: Free-kick, Japan. Endo floats it to the back post from the right wing, looking for Nakazawa, but it’s cleared. Zzzzz

88 mins: Elia and Nagatomo chase a long ball down the left but Elia’s flagged for offside.

SUBSTITUTION, NETHERLANDS – Klaas-Jan Huntelaar on, Robin van Persie off

Another like-for-like sub. Noah’s Ark!

88 mins: Shoulda been 2-0 again. Huntelaar’s first touch is a lovely spin move that leaves Nakazawa for dead. Afellay scampers up in support and takes the ball on into the box with pace, but his low side-footed effort is right at Kawashima. He doesn’t stop it completely, but Nakazawa recovers to hoof it out.

90 mins: Shoulda been 1-1! Tulio Tanaka flicks on a high ball for Okazaki, but the sub blasts over the bar from 8 yards. Stekelenburg had no chance. Put that on target and you steal a draw from this game. Takeshi Okada freaks out on the sideline.

THREE MINUTES OF ADDED FUTILITY REMAINING

90 mins + 2: Nagatomo gets goalside of De Jong in pursuit of a loose ball. The full-back falls under mild pressure looking for a penalty, but the ref tells him to get up.

FULL TIME: Netherlands 1, Japan 0
A flat performance by both teams, capped by some sloppy finishing and a lovely goal by Snijder that should have been saved. Oh well, it can only get better, right? Tulio Tanaka had a good game, as did Elia in another bright sub performance. Really, the thing keeping this Dutch side ticking is not that attacking quartet of Sneijder, van Persie, van der Vaart and Kuyt, but the rock in midfield that is van Bommel and De Jong. Without them, this team would struggle.

Stay tuned for Ghana/Australia, liveblog beginning soon! I’ll be seeing you bright and early tomorrow for some Slovak/Kiwi action.