Holland v Slovakia – Monday, June 28
Kick off 15.00 BST, live on BBC One and bbc.co.uk in the UK. Check local listings elsewhere. Bookmaker bwin are live-streaming the audio from today's game.
Holland boast a 100% record at the World Cup going into this last sixteen contest against Slovakia in Durban
The Netherlands v Slovakia live game is about to start and bwin are live streaming the audio today from the game.
The Netherlands are no bigger than 7/1 (bet365) on the outright market after Thursday night’s 2-1 win over Cameroon, a result which ensured they went through as winners of Group E. Bert van Marwijk’s team didn’t play particularly well in Cape Town, although they appear to be in the more favourable half of the draw and will take some stopping.
The bookies make them strong favourites to win Monday afternoon’s game at the Moses Mabhida Stadium, a ground where they have already beaten Japan in this tournament. Bet365 offer 4/9 that Holland win in ninety minutes and continue their 100% record in this World Cup. The closest that the country have come to going all the way were final appearances in 1974 and 1978, although there are growing feelings that this could be their year.
Arjen Robben is likely to make his first start of the World Cup against Slovakia and the Bayern Munich winger demonstrated the difference he can make by creating his team’s winning goal against Cameroon. It’s still puzzling as to how Chelsea and Real Madrid managed to let him go and Ladbrokes offers 6/1 that he scores the first goal of the game.
Robin Van Persie will once again lead the line and he is available at 4/1 (Stan James) to break the deadlock as he did during Thursday night’s match. The Arsenal striker will still hope his teams have enough games for him to have a shot at the Golden Shoe award, although the Dutch can’t take their opponents lightly.
Slovakia might have gone into Thursday afternoon’s final Group F match with just a point on the board, but ninety minutes later they were toasting a famous victory over Italy that enabled them to reach the knockout stage. It’s unchartered territory for a country making its World Cup finals debut, although they are on offer at 7/1 (SportingBet) to win this match in normal time.
It’s true to say that the Dutch defence has looked a little dodgy in recent games and Slovakian striker Robert Vittek will be looking to exploit this at every turn. The 28-year-old notched a brace against the Azzurri and he’s 12/1 (bet365) to send his team into the lead in Durban.
However, you feel that if the Netherlands play to their potential, then this is a game that they really must win. Wesley Sneijder (7/1 Ladbrokes) and Dirk Kuyt (6/1 Victor Chandler) should help cause problems and Mark van Bommel is such a destroyer in the middle of the park.