Netherlands began the match in typical fashion, passing the ball around and looking for holes behind the Australian defense. It was a superb solo effort however that opened up the Socceroos as Robben picked up the ball, skipped past a defender and raced into the box before riffling in a low shot past Ryan to put the Dutch ahead. Soon after going ahead, the Dutch went to sleep and were immediately punished as Cahill Volleyed Leckies diagonal ball into the Dutch net off the crossbar.
In the second half, both teams continued to show attacking intent and when Janmat handled the ball in the box in the 53rd minute, the referee pointed to the spot and and Jedinak sent Cillessen the wrong way to convert the 7th penalty of the tournament already and put Australia in front. Five minutes later however Van Persie broke the Australian offside trap an unleashed a thunderbolt from 15 yards past Ryan in the Aussie goal to equalize for the Dutch. Austrailia then had a wonderful chance to take the lead in the 67th minute as with the goal gaping, Leckiegets’ chested the ball into the arms of Cillessen after some good work from Oar.
The Socceroos were made to pay for that miss as a mere forty seconds later, Memphis Depay hit a low shot into the left corner from all of 28 yards to give Netherlands the lead. Australia tried to make a game of the match but in going forward never really created a chance to level the game.
The Netherlands currently lead group B with 6 points and Australia are left without any mathematical chance of making it past the first round.
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