Netherlands 1 - 0 Japan

BBC

The Netherlands put themselves on the brink of qualification for the last 16 with a hard-fought victory over an impressively stubborn Japan side in Durban.

Wesley Sneijder's powerful 52nd-minute winner from just outside the box proved the difference between two teams whose styles provided a fascinating contrast as the group E match wore on, with good chances falling to both sides just before the final whistle.

The Dutch will qualify for the knockout stages unless Cameroon can beat Denmark draw later on Saturday, and are still likely to go through should they not.

Japan came into the match off the back of their first World Cup win on foreign soil after beating Cameroon 1-0 on Monday.

And the afterglow of that historic achievement was evident in the admirable tactical nous they executed in the first half, as they stifled the Netherland's search for fluid creativity with regimental efficiency in front of near-full Moses Mabhida Stadium.

Now 21 matches unbeaten, the Netherlands started like a team full of quiet confidence as they kept possession well and used the width of Dirk Kuyt on the right and Rafael Van der Vaart on the left.

Inter Milan midfielder Sneijder had the first clear chance but, on this occasion, could not keep his long-range shot, from a free-kick, down - a common sight in South Africa as players struggle to tame the much-criticised Jabulani ball.

When they did break up the Netherland's passing, Grenoble midfielder Daisuke Matsui looked bright for Japan - instigating an incisive move on which saw eventually saw Yuto Nagatomo hit a stinging shot just wide.

The Asian side slowly began to frustrate the Dutch, who struggled to bring striker Robin Van Persie into the game and lacked a killer pass.

And by the end of the first half they had relative control, with towering Brazilian-born Tulio heading just wide before Matsui lashed a decent volley straight at Maarten Stekelenburg.

But the Dutch - who have never won the World Cup despite a rich pedigree of world-class footballers - took the second-half by the scruff of the neck, with van Persie breaking free on a couple of occasions.

After a period of concerted pressure as the ball ricocheted around the box in the 52nd minute, the Arsenal striker managed to nudge it into the path of Sneijder - one of Jose Mourinho's form players as Italian side Inter won the league, cup and Champions League treble this season.

Loitering just outside the penalty area, he lashed a powerful right-foot shot towards goal which Eiji Kawashima could only deflect into the net when he might have made a save.

That moment liberated both teams and no longer could containment tactics be the limit of Japan's ambitions.

They responded in kind, Van Persie finding himself hooking a dangerous cross from substitute Shunsuke Nakamura over his own crossbar from with the six-yard box.

Hamburg's Eljero Elia came on as a substitute for Van der Vaart and nearly recreated the impression he had from the bench in Netherland's first match, cleverly releasing Ibrahim Allelay for a one-on-one though his fellow substitute could not add a second with seven minutes remaining as Kawashima smothered his attempt.

Japan went close with seconds to spare but the ball just eluded Yuto Nagatomo from Keisuke Honda's curling cross.

Cameroon play Denmark at 1930 BST in the fourth group E match.