Netherlands Shows Its Powerful Side
Power and flair. Ruud van Nistelrooy and Robin van Persie used both to show why the Netherlands belongs in the second round of the World Cup.
Van Nistelrooy and Van Persie scored a goal each in a 2-1 win over Ivory Coast at Stuttgart, Germany, enough to make sure the Dutch advanced along with Argentina from a tough Group C.
Ivory Coast was eliminated despite a second classy match in its first World Cup, and got a brilliant goal from Bakary Kone.
Under intense pressure to perform after a lackluster opener, Van Nistelrooy came through with a trademark move, waiting on the edge of an offside position, taking a pass and slamming the ball home from 12 yards for the winner, proving again he is the master of the penalty area.
“We are very happy he made a goal. He made a good impression. It gives us a lot of confidence for the next games,” Dutch Coach Marco van Basten said.
Van Persie set up his free kick goal with a searing run from the right into the center, where he was floored on the edge of the area by Kolo Toure in the 23rd minute.
Already brimming with confidence, the Arsenal player lined up a drive that clattered into the upper right corner before goalkeeper Jean-Jacques Tizie could even get a hand up in time.
After the game, the Dutch players ran up to the tens of thousands of fans in the stands and celebrated as if they had just won the world title.
“You have to realize this is very young team. It is very important to reach the second round,” Van Basten said after he emerged from a joyous orange scrum.
Said Ivory Coast Coach Henri Michel: “Against countries like Argentina and the Netherlands, nothing is easy.”
Argentina 6, Serbia and Montenegro 0 -- Three first-half goals, two by Maxi Rodriguez and another by substitute Esteban Cambiasso, led Argentina to a victory at Gelsenkirchen and into the round of 16.
Hernan Crespo made it 4-0 in the 78th minute, and youngsters Carlos Tevez and Lionel Messi finished off the biggest rout in the tournament so far.
The two-time champions advanced out of Group C after the Netherlands beat Ivory Coast.
The loss eliminated the Serbs.
Argentine fans, starting to sense something special may be unfolding, were deafening in FC Schalke’s closed-roof stadium, with chants of “Ole, Ole” and “AR-gen-tina.”
Another screaming serenade, with Diego Maradona swirling a blue and white jersey above his head and joining in, also rang out over and over: “We’re going to leave as champions, just like in ’86.”
Maradona helped Argentina win that last title, and watching this easy victory, it wasn’t difficult for the fans to start believing that it could happen again.
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Ups and downs
Taking the pulse of the World Cup after eight days of play:
WHAT’S UP?
* Top-seeded teams -- The seeded teams in each of the eight groups are still unbeaten, although Mexico’s 0-0 tie with Angola slightly marred a 10-0-2 overall record.
* English fans -- With security on high alert in Nuremberg after England’s 2-0 victory Thursday over Trinidad and Tobago, its fans proved more interested in partying than rioting.
WHAT’S DOWN?
* Eastern Europe -- Aside from the Czech Republic’s 3-0 whipping of the United States, the other countries formerly part of the Eastern Bloc (Poland and Ukraine), plus Croatia and Serbia and Montenegro, are a combined 0-6, and have been outscored, 15-0.
* War metaphors -- U.S. Coach Bruce Arena had to do damage control after Eddie Johnson, expressing his appreciation for meeting U.S. troops stationed in Kaiserslautern, added, “It’s like us in the World Cup. We’re here for a war.”
