SOUTH AFRICA: FOOTBALL / SOCCER - WORLD CUP 2010 - Dutch fans celebrate victory against Danes

Record ID: 453282

  • Title: SOUTH AFRICA: FOOTBALL / SOCCER - WORLD CUP 2010 - Dutch fans celebrate victory against Danes
  • Date: 15th June 2010
  • Summary: JOHANNESBURG, SOUTH AFRICA (JUNE 14, 2010) (REUTERS) WIDE SHOT OF FANS LEAVING THE STADIUM VARIOUS OF FANS LEAVING THE STADIUM (SOUNDBITE) (English) DUTCH FAN, TIM GERSWIND SAYING: "I think we played very well. I think we were lucky with the own goal from Denmark. But I think overall, we had a very good performance. It is a very good start to the World Cup." FANS LEAVING THE STADIUM (SOUNDBITE) (English) DANISH FAN, ALEN WILSON SAYING: "After today's performance, I don't think so. I think Holland has a better chance to going through. I think Denmark could have played a bit better." PAN FROM MAN PLAYING VUVUZELA TO CROWD LEAVING STADIUM (SOUNDBITE) (English) DANISH FAN, UNIDENTIFIED FAN SAYING: "I think that own goal was the deciding moment of the game. I don't think that Holland was much better than us. It was sad that Bendtner was injured so he couldn't finish the game because we had very good organisation and good defense. So I think we could have killed the game off if they didn't have the own goal." VARIOUS OF CROWD LEAVING THE STADIUM DANISH FAN PAINTED HIS BODY AS DANISH FLAG
  • Embargoed: 30th June 2010 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: South Africa
  • Country: South Africa
  • Topics: Sports
  • Reuters ID: LVA1TAZP42V1HIWJA73EWKISEMC7
  • Story Text: Soccer City was awash in orange with hundreds of Dutch fans packing the stadium to watch their team beat Denmark on Monday (June 14).
    Netherlands rarely moved out of first gear but still had far too much in the tank to leave Denmark trailing as they secured a 2-0 victory in their opening World Cup Group E match.
    The Dutch, among the favourites to win the trophy after a perfect qualifying campaign and excellent form in their warm-up matches needed an own goal by Simon Poulsen just after halftime and a tap-in from Dirk Kuyt in the 85th minute to triumph.
    The Danes, who surprisingly included Nicklas Bendtner in attack after he looked set to miss the match with a groin injury, rarely threatened and in the end only the woodwork and some desperate defending saved them from a heavier defeat.
    Denmark, who have not beaten the Dutch, apart from a penalty shootout victory in Euro 92, for 43 years, rarely looked like scoring in a match that never really lived up to expectations.
    The Danes seemed content to sit back and soak up what was thrown at them -- which was actually very little.
    The nearest they came to a goal was when Bendtner sent a header wide after 27 minutes, his last notable contribution before going off after an hour.
    The Dutch dominated most of the possession throughout and almost made it 3-0 at the death but Ibrahim Afellay's effort was acrobatically cleared off the line by Poulsen.
    "I think we played very well. I think we were lucky with the own goal from Denmark. But I think overall, we had a very good performance. It is a very good start to the World Cup," said one Danish fan.
    "I think that own goal was the deciding moment of the game. I don't think that Holland was much better than us. It was sad that Bendtner was injured so he couldn't finish the game because we had very good organisation and good defense. So I think we could have killed the game off if they didn't have the own goal," said another Danish fan.
    Japan and Cameroon meet in the second Group E match in Bloemfontein at 1400 GMT.
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