DURBAN // Arjen Robben and Wesley Sneijder scored a goal each to put Holland through to Friday's quarter-final in Port Elizabeth as Slovakia were unable to reproduce the form that saw them beat Italy in the group stages. The Dutch were not at their best, but never looked in danger after taking an 18th-minute lead through Robben, who started his first game of this World Cup having recovered from a hamstring injury.
Sneijder made it 2-0 six minutes from the end, and Robert Vittek's penalty, the last kick of the match, was too little, too late for Slovakia. The addition of Robben has given another dimension, as Vladimir Weiss, Slovakia's coach, said: "Robben is a genius. When I saw him in the line up I knew he would make the Netherlands 50 per cent stronger and I was correct." Bert van Marwijk, his opposite number, added: "We are so pleased he is fit again. He was decisive for us, and on the whole we deserved to win by far."
Slovakia made a bright start when Erik Jerndrisek shot just over the bar in the opening minutes. Robin van Persie's close-range header then bounced off Martin Skrtel before the Arsenal striker unselfishly set up Sneijder for a shot that was easily saved by Jan Mucha, the goalkeeper. Sneijder made amends soon afterwards when he set up Robben to score. The ball broke in the Dutch half and Sneijder took one look upfield before launching a perfect through ball into the path of Robben.
The winger cut in from the right, dragged defenders Jan Durica and Radoslav Zabavnik out of position and then drilled a low shot with his favoured left foot in at the near post. "As a left-footed player on the right, I have scored the same sort of goal many times," said Robben. Van Persie continued to struggle, though, missing two chances shortly before half time. Mucha made two great saves at the start of the second half to keep Slovakia in the game. First Robben tried to replicate his opening goal, dancing in from the right past two defenders, but his shot was brilliantly tipped away by the Slovakian keeper. A minute later, Robben's low cross flew off Dutch defender Joris Mathijsen forcing Mucha to make a sharp save from close range.
Vittek, who had scored twice in their 3-2 win over Italy, had been quiet for an hour, but then had two great chances. Maarten Stekelenburg had already made a fine save to tip over a drive from Miroslav Stoch, and then excelled when he denied Vittek from 15 yards in the 67th minute. Ten minutes later Vittek had a similar chance, but this time shot high over the bar. With six minutes remaining, the Dutch confirmed their place in the quarter-finals. Giovanni van Bronckhorst took a quick free-kick from the halfway line, Dirk Kuyt got his head to the ball ahead of Mucha, and laid it back into the path of Sneijder, who side-footed home from 15 yards.
There was still time for Slovakia to score when Stekelenburg pulled down substitute Martin Jakubko and Vittek drove home the penalty. This victory was the eighth in succession for the Dutch, equalling their best, but a stiffer test will await them in Port Elizabeth. sports@thenational.ae