Holland’s Oranje have drawn 0-0 against Argentina’s Albiceleste in their last World Cup Group C match in Frankfurt on Wednesday, in a game that had a host of goalscoring opportunities.

With both teams having qualified for the next round, both Marco van Basten and his Argentinian counterpart Jose Pekerman both rested some key players for the start of the match.

Feyenoord striker Dirk Kuyt was making his first start of the tournament and started very brightly for the Oranje, as was Argentina’s teenage sensation Lionel Messi who was excellent throughout.

Both sides started at a hectic pace, with chances on both sides, with chances from Kuyt and Holland forcing a couple of early corners.

It was during one of these corners that Holland should have won a penalty after Gabriel Milito dragged down Andre Ooijer in the box in the 13th minute, but the referee didn’t see it, and was more interested in Nicolas Burdisso’s dive.

Van der Sar tipped the ball over the crossbar from a corner from Riquelme in the 26th minute, with A free-kick from Riquelme skidding into the area, with Dutch defender Khalid Boulahrouz defending well and the ball ricocheting off the post and away.

The pressure was all from Argentina as the half progressed, with van der Sar saving well from shots from Maxi Rodriguez, Messi and Carlos Tevez in the first thirty minutes.

The game slowed from it’s early, frenetic pace, but Messi and Maxi Rodriguez were constantly a threat to the Oranje defence who were struggling to control them.

Messi had a shot in the last minute after breaking through, but it was straight at van der Sar.

The game went into half-time 0-0 with Argentina definitely in control.
The second-half started as the first finished, with Argentina totally in control, but the Netherlands defending well to deny the efforts of Messi and Carlos Tevez, with Cambiasso doing well on the wing.

Ruud van Nistelrooy was substituted by Ryan Babel in the 55th minute after having little affect on the match, but the Oranje just couldn’t get the control of the match from the extremely well organised Argentina.

Tevez tried an overhead kick in the area in the 65th minute, but was crowded out again by the defence.

This sparked the game into life, with the Argentinian keeper Abbondanzieri being called into action for the first real time in the half.

Phillip Cocu, playing his 100th international for Holland, went just wide in the 68th minute as Holland started to find their feet.

Carlos Tevez latched on to a ball from Riquelme and had a shot that forced a good save from Edwin van der Sar minutes later, but it was Holland that were forcing the issue in the last minutes of the match.

Carlos Tevez had a chance for the Albiceleste in injury-time, but his shot went well wide.

The draw means that Argentina top Group C and will now face Mexico in the next round on Saturday, with Holland facing Portugal on Sunday.