Dutch finesse Cameroon, move up

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CAPE TOWN, South Africa — The Netherlands produced its first flair and finesse of the World Cup on Thursday, beating already eliminated Cameroon 2-1 in Group E.

Robin Van Persie finished off an end-to-end move in the 36th minute and substitute Arjen Robben rifled a shot off the post in the 83rd minute that Klaas Jan Huntelaar tapped in.

In between, Samuel Eto’o scored from the penalty spot for Cameroon in the 65th.

“Our play was good,” Van Persie said. “We can be really pleased with this.”

After the match, Cameroon coach Paul Le Guen said he was quitting.

“I ended my mission,” the Frenchman said. “Now I will reflect carefully.”

The Dutch won the group with nine points and will face Slovakia in the round of 16 on Monday in Durban. Japan also advanced from the group, beating Denmark 3-1 and eliminating the Danes.

Playing with poise and confidence, the Dutch often thrilled the crowd of 63,093 with their creative moves. Yet Eto’o and Cameroon still were able to pierce the defence and threaten goalkeeper Maarten Stekelenburg.

“We were far too nonchalant in the second half,” Netherlands coach Bert van Marwijk said. “Our final spell put us on the right track again, but consider this a serious warning.”

In the 73rd, the tens of thousands of orange-clad fans at the Green Point Stadium cheered when Robben made his debut at the World Cup almost three weeks after sustaining a left hamstring injury in a warmup game.

He immediately showed his value. After tiptoeing carefully during his first moves, he was served a pass on the right in the 83rd. With a move so often seen during his sterling season with Bayern Munich, he cut inside, beat defenders and curled off the post that Huntelaar poked in.

“It is good to be back,” Robben said. “I had to get back in the groove and it worked. Too bad the shot did not go in.”

Just his entry, however, lifted the team. “He showed he can really break open any game,” Netherlands defender John Heitinga said.

After two victories, Van Marwijk was bent on keeping his momentum going and played both midfielder Nigel de Jong and Van Persie in the third game, even though both would have been excluded from the match against Slovakia if they had earned another card.

Instead, Van Persie scored a typical Dutch goal in the 36th minute, one that flowed from defence to attack with crisp, pinpoint passing and equally precise finishing.

After Dirk Kuyt took the ball up on the right, Van Persie played a neat one-two with Rafael van der Vaart, then shot through the legs of Cameroon goalkeeper Hamidou Souleymanou from a tight angle.

Cameroon, which put Africa on the football map when it reached the quarter-finals at the 1990 World Cup, did not give up and won a penalty when Van der Vaart handled a free kick from Geremi in the area.

Eto’o, long tipped as one of the World Cup’s defining stars, equalized on the penalty. Late in the game, Cameroon defender Rigobert Song made a cameo appearance at his fourth World Cup.

— The Associated Press

Cameroon 0 1 — 1

Netherlands 1 1 — 2

First half

1. Netherlands, Robin Van Persie 1, 36th minute

Second half

2. Cameroon, Samuel Eto’o 2, 65th (penalty kick)

3. Netherlands, Klaas-Jan Huntelaar 1, 83rd

Shots — Cameroon: 15; Netherlands: 15.

Shots on goal — Cameroon: 3; Netherlands: 7.

Corner kicks — Cameroon: 6; Netherlands: 1.

Referee — Pablo Pozo, Chile. Linesmen — Patricio Basualto and Francisco Mondria, both Chile.

Attendance — 63,093.