FIFA 2010 World Cup Preview: Netherlands 2 - 1 Slovakia

Robben rocks Slovakia

Robben made an impact on his first start for the Netherlands as he scored to sink Slovakia. Wesley Sneijder made the game safe in the final ten minutes as the Dutch progressed to the quarter-finals, before Robert Vittek netted a penalty with the last kick of the game. Netherlands have now won all four games at the World Cup and will meet the winner of Brazil's clash with Chile on Friday in Port Elizabeth.

FIFA 2010 World Cup Preview: Slovakia 3 - 2 Italy

Champions kicked out!! What a pity

Champions Italy crashed out of the World Cup as first-time qualifiers Slovakia booked a surprising place in the second round after an epic game at Ellis Park.

Robert Vittek's brace put Slovakia in control but Antonio Di Natale halved the deficit and Fabio Quagliarella looked like he had levelled it at 2-2, but an offside decision went against him.

Substitute Kamil Kopunek made it 3-1 to Slovakia before Quagliarella's brilliant lob gave Italy fleeting hope, but they could not find a third to save their skins as they joined fellow 2006 finalists France in sinking out of the tournament at the first hurdle.

Italy started positively enough with Di Natale's volley almost catching out Slovakia goalkeeper Jan Mucha inside the first 30 seconds. Vincenzo Iaquinta then dragged a shot well wide after good link-up play with Di Natale before Napoli midfielder Marek Hamsik, Slovakia's star man and captain, miscued a volley after the ball was flicked on to him by Vittek.

Iaquinta had the ball in the net after 10 minutes but Webb had already blown for a foul by the Juventus forward on defender Jan Durica in the box. Webb produced his first yellow card for Slovakia midfielder Zdenko Strba, who caught the hard-tackling Gennaro Gattuso late.

Slovakia had to win to go through and they forged ahead in the 25th minute when Daniele De Rossi's stray pass was picked up by Juraj Kucka and he rolled a pass forward to Vittek who directed a low right-foot shot past Italy goalkeeper Federico Marchetti from the edge of the box.

Strba could have made it 2-0 with a fierce 30-yard drive which Marchetti had to dive to his right to push wide for a corner as the half entered its final minutes. Italy were lacking in inspiration and a speculative Riccardo Montolivo effort from long range drifted harmlessly wide.

Liverpool defender Martin Skrtel had to head over his own crossbar from a floated Gattuso cross, and the AC Milan battler then cut open Strba's knee in a tackle. The midfielder asked to continue though, with substitute Kamil Kopunek returning to his seat.

Slovakia ended the half on a high and almost conjured the goal of the tournament when Vittek cleverly worked the ball back to Kucka for a viciously-struck volley which flashed into the side-netting.

Italy brought on forward Quagliarella for Gattuso and Christian Maggio for Domenico Criscito at half-time and they created the first opening of the second half when Iaquinta headed off target from a Simone Pepe cross.

Di Natale should have done better when played in by Maggio after 55 minutes, skewing a shot wide with only Mucha to beat. The biggest Italian cheer of the afternoon to that point greeted Andrea Pirlo's introduction in place of Montolivo, as Azzurri fans hoped he held the key to their revival.

Di Natale hit 29 Serie A goals for Udinese last season but could not find a way past Slovakia as a curling shot from the edge of the box was held by Mucha. Italy came within a whisker of an equaliser when Pepe's cross sailed over Mucha's head and Quagliarella fired goalwards with the keeper committed, but Skrtel got back to block on the goalline.

The holders were taking more chances, allowing Slovakia to find more space on the break and Miroslav Stoch flashed one shot across Marchetti's goal. The game looked up for the champions though in the 73rd minute when Hamsik half-volleyed the ball across from the right and Vittek got to it before Giorgio Chiellini to steer it in at the near post.

Italy pulled one back with nine minutes to go after a clever one-two with Iaquinta played Quagliarella in and when Mucha parried his shot, Di Natale was on hand to prod the ball in. There was then a skirmish inside the goal as Quagliarella scrapped with Mucha to retrieve the ball, with Webb booking both men.

Quagliarella thought he had equalised when he turned home a Di Natale cross from the left, but the Napoli man was flagged offside by assistant Darren Cann in the tightest of decisions.

A throw-in by Peter Pekarik then caught Italy sleeping and substitute Kopunek raced through to lob the ball over Marchetti. Quagliarella pulled one back with a sublime lob but Pepe fluffed their final chance deep into stoppage time when he shanked wide at the far post.

FIFA World Cup 2010: Slovakia 0 - 2 Paraguay

Vera and Riveros seal win

A first-half strike from winger Enrique Vera and a late strike from Cristian Riveros saw Paraguay claim a deserved 2-0 victory over Slovakia.

It was just the result Paraguay coach Gerardo Martino was looking for after the draw with reigning world champions Italy in their opening game and puts the team in sight of the second round.

Vera made the breakthrough in the 27th minute after a spell of sustained pressure at the Free State Stadium and, while Paraguay then squandered a number of good chances to extend their advantage, Riveros sealed the win with five minutes to go.

It is Slovakia's first appearance in the finals and they are heading for an early exit. The team's only effort of note came in stoppage time when substitute Filip Holosko's shot was turned over the bar by goalkeeper Justo Villar.

Paraguay dictated the pace from the start and Manchester City striker Roque Santa Cruz, who returned after a minor injury, came close to scoring twice. He almost gave his side the lead in the third minute, his effort turned away at the post by Everton-bound goalkeeper Jan Mucha.

Then Nelson Valdez turned quickly but saw his effort go wide before play switched back down the other end. Marek Hamsik played the ball out to Jan Durica but he sent his shot over the bar.

Paraguay were having the majority of possession and Paulo Da Silva was only inches away from making contact at the back post following a free-kick by Claudio Morel.

Cristian Riveros then drilled a shot from the edge of the area but Mucha was equal to it before Lucas Barrios was off target from an acute angle. Slovakia again found themselves on the back foot in the 24th minute but Valdez fired wide.

Paraguay's pressure paid on the 27th minute when they made the breakthrough. Barrios released Vera and he got the better of Durica to hook the ball home.

Slovakia hit back and Kornel Salata headed over the bar from inside the area in the 37th minute. It proved brief respite, however, with Santa Cruz almost adding a second a minute later only for Mucha to boot the ball clear.

Slovakia tried to step up the tempo at the start of the second half but Paraguay looked well in control.

Vera should have scored his second goal of the game in the 72nd minute following a swift counter attack. However, he steered a header wide in front of the posts following a cross and some good skill from Santa Cruz, who was unhappy at some of his treatment from Liverpool's Martin Skrtel.

Substitute Aureliano Torres then saw his effort take a deflection off a Slovakia defender and finish high over the bar.

Paraguay extended their advantage in the 85th minute when Da Silva played the ball into Riveros and he curled a shot into the corner.

World Cup 2010: New Zealand 1 - 1 Slovakia

Reid earns point for All Whites

Winston Reid scored a dramatic equaliser deep into injury time to give New Zealand their first-ever point in the World Cup finals.

It was also New Zealand's first goal in the finals for 28 years and sparked wild celebrations among the All Whites supporters inside the Royal Bafokeng stadium.

Reid was booked for his own celebration when he ripped off his shirt and twirled it around his head after bulleting home a header from Shane Smeltz's cross.

It was an historic moment in New Zealand football, considering the Kiwis had lost all three of their previous group matches at their only other appearance in the finals in 1982.

Reid's late strike cancelled out a 50th-minute goal from Slovakia's Robert Vittek, which was also historic. It was the nation's first-ever goal in their debut match at the World Cup finals.

Vittek repaid the faith his manager, Vladimir Weiss, had shown in him after he went through the qualifying campaign without scoring. It was also a flying header, drilled past New Zealand goalkeeper Mark Paston.

Although television replays suggested Vittek, who has been playing his football for Ankaragucu in Turkey on a loan deal from Lille, might have been offside when he met a sweet cross from Stanislas Sestak, it was just reward for Slovakia's superior ambition.

They were the better side, outplaying for long periods a New Zealand team whose only previous finals appearance in 1982 ended in three straight defeats, 3-0 to the Soviet Union, 4-0 to Brazil and 5-2 to Scotland.

The All Whites are a side comprising five English league players, captain Ryan Nelsen from Blackburn, Chris Killen from Middlesbrough, Ipswich's Tommy Smith, Plymouth's Rory Fallon and substitute Chris Wood from West Brom who replaced Killen in the second-half.

They have plenty of guts and pride, but technically they were some way inferior to a Slovak side for whom 20-year-old Vladimir Weiss, the manager's son who played just one game for Manchester City before being loaned out to Bolton last season, was a constant inspiration in midfield.

The first half was just about as sterile a 45 minutes as this goal-starved World Cup has witnessed. The most exciting moment came from a mistake from Paston who fluffed his kick-out. Vittek pounced on the mistake and looked like making New Zealand pay but Paston recovered to smother his attempt.

The action was so pedestrian it had to improve and it did with Vittek's goal allowing Slovakia to play with more freedom.

Until the last five minutes New Zealand's best effort had been when Killen rose highest in the penalty area but dispatched his header straight into the arms of Slovakia goalkeeper Jan Mucha.

Yet they mounted a spirited late rally which saw substitute Wood go close with a diving header.

Little were we to know an even better one was to come from Reid to leave New Zealand, Slovakia, Italy and Paraguay locked on a point each in Group F.

World Cup 2010: New Zealand 1 - 1 Slovakia

Reid earns point for All Whites

Winston Reid scored a dramatic equaliser deep into injury time to give New Zealand their first-ever point in the World Cup finals.

It was also New Zealand's first goal in the finals for 28 years and sparked wild celebrations among the All Whites supporters inside the Royal Bafokeng stadium.

Reid was booked for his own celebration when he ripped off his shirt and twirled it around his head after bulleting home a header from Shane Smeltz's cross.

It was an historic moment in New Zealand football, considering the Kiwis had lost all three of their previous group matches at their only other appearance in the finals in 1982.

Reid's late strike cancelled out a 50th-minute goal from Slovakia's Robert Vittek, which was also historic. It was the nation's first-ever goal in their debut match at the World Cup finals.

Vittek repaid the faith his manager, Vladimir Weiss, had shown in him after he went through the qualifying campaign without scoring. It was also a flying header, drilled past New Zealand goalkeeper Mark Paston.

Although television replays suggested Vittek, who has been playing his football for Ankaragucu in Turkey on a loan deal from Lille, might have been offside when he met a sweet cross from Stanislas Sestak, it was just reward for Slovakia's superior ambition.

They were the better side, outplaying for long periods a New Zealand team whose only previous finals appearance in 1982 ended in three straight defeats, 3-0 to the Soviet Union, 4-0 to Brazil and 5-2 to Scotland.

The All Whites are a side comprising five English league players, captain Ryan Nelsen from Blackburn, Chris Killen from Middlesbrough, Ipswich's Tommy Smith, Plymouth's Rory Fallon and substitute Chris Wood from West Brom who replaced Killen in the second-half.

They have plenty of guts and pride, but technically they were some way inferior to a Slovak side for whom 20-year-old Vladimir Weiss, the manager's son who played just one game for Manchester City before being loaned out to Bolton last season, was a constant inspiration in midfield.

The first half was just about as sterile a 45 minutes as this goal-starved World Cup has witnessed. The most exciting moment came from a mistake from Paston who fluffed his kick-out. Vittek pounced on the mistake and looked like making New Zealand pay but Paston recovered to smother his attempt.

The action was so pedestrian it had to improve and it did with Vittek's goal allowing Slovakia to play with more freedom.

Until the last five minutes New Zealand's best effort had been when Killen rose highest in the penalty area but dispatched his header straight into the arms of Slovakia goalkeeper Jan Mucha.

Yet they mounted a spirited late rally which saw substitute Wood go close with a diving header.

Little were we to know an even better one was to come from Reid to leave New Zealand, Slovakia, Italy and Paraguay locked on a point each in Group F.