© EuroFootball.com
T
Netherlands 2 - 1 Ivory Coast
Stuttgart, Gotlieb Daimler Stadium, 52 thousand spectators
Referee: Julian Oscar Ruiz Acosta
23' [1 - 0] Robin van Persie
27' [2 - 0] Ruud van Nistelrooy
38' [2 - 1] Bakary Kone
Netherlands: Van der Sar, Heitinga (45' Boulahrouz), Ooijer, Mathijsen, Van Bronckhorst, Sneijder (50' Van der Vaar), Van Bommel, Cocu, Van Persie, Robben, van Nistelrooy (73' Landzaat)
Ivory Coast: Tizie, Eboue, K.Toure, Meite, Boka, Zokora, G.Toure, Romaric (61' Yapi Yapo), A.Kone (73' Akale), B.Kone (62' Dindane), Drogba.
At the beginning of the match, the Dutch team started playing more actively, creating their first chance after just five minutes when, after a great pass from Marco Van Bommel on the right, Ruud van Nistelrooy almost reached the ball.
Soon after, the nerves of Dutch fans were tested by the Africans, when Emmanuel Eboue entered the penalty area and clashed with Gio van Bronckhorst, but the referee remained silent. The same Van Bronckhorst later played unsteadily in defense, but the Africans failed to score a goal.
The first goal of the match fell around halfway through the first half, when Ivory Coast defenders committed a foul near the penalty area against R.van Persie. Van Persie stepped up to take the penalty himself, and his left-footed strike into the goalkeeper's top corner was powerful and accurate.
Not even five minutes later, the Dutch "buried" another goal - in a crowded penalty area, likely confusing defenders, R.van Nistelrooy jumped after a pass from Arjen Robben and cold-bloodedly sent the ball into the net past the Ivory Coast goalkeeper Jean Jacques Tizie.
Although it seemed that the Africans would give up after two unexpected goals, in the 38th minute the striker B.Kone made his way through the middle, shifted the ball slightly to the right, and with a strong shot sent the ball into the far top corner of the Dutch goal. By the way, it was the first goal that Edwin van der Sar conceded in official international matches since October 2004.
After the break, the Dutch took the initiative. Van Nistelrooy took a great shot, but the goalkeeper saved it.
In the 77th minute, after a corner, the Africans had a decent chance to equalize the score. Although Didier Drogba's headed ball towards goal was flying quite slowly, it passed both African attackers, Dutch defenders, and the goalkeeper, but was deflected off the chest of Dutch goalkeeper Phillip Cocu before the goal line.
At the end of the match, the Ivory Coast team tried to secure a draw that could have given them hope to advance to the next stage, but the Dutch defenders were able to hold them off. The last chance in the match was for defender Kolo Toure, but his long-range shot did not hit the goal.
Match statistics:
Netherlands - Ivory Coast
Ball possession
47.1% - 52.9%
Goals
2 - 1
Attempts on goal
11 - 20
Shots on goal
6 - 6
Shots off target
2 - 7
Blocked shots
3 - 7
Corners
3 - 8
Offsides
5 - 4
Yellow cards
4 - 3
Red cards
0 - 0
Successful passes
27 - 16
Pass accuracy
88.9% - 81.2%
Passing accuracy
71.8% - 77.7%
Passes
348 - 391
