LiveBlog: Netherlands-Ivory Coast

The Netherlands gets a pair of two first half goals to win the match and to advance to the second round of the World Cup. Read the blow-by-blow below and leave your comments on the game.

Final: Netherlands 2-1 Ivory Coast

Full time Holland comes away with an earned 2-1 victory over a very capable Ivory Coast team. The Dutch took advantage of their opportunities and advance out of Group C along with Argentina. Ivory Coast goes home in their debut World Cup.

90+ One last yellow card in this card filled match. One last free kick for Ivory Coast. They should have everyone in the box and it is a dreadful kick.

90+ Ivory Coast with one last corner. It goes long and just doesn’t get the job done. The time is ticking and it doesn’t look like it will happen.

90:00 Three minutes of added time. Can Ivory Coast pull out a late miracle?

89:14 A sea of orange in the stands up and dancing. They can taste victory.

88:13 Ivory Coast with yet another attack in the Netherlands end but the Dutch respond and the clock continues to tick. It looks like the Elephants might be running out of gas. Not the greatest Holland performance but it has been effective and they look likely to for through.

86:45 Ivory Coast showing they might be the class of the African teams in this tournament. My beloved Angola is up next but they don’t look nearly as solid. Dutch controlling the ball and hanging on to the lead.

85:15 Five minutes for Ivory Coast to keep alive. The Holland-Argentina match will lose some of its luster is they both have already advanced.

84:02 van der vaart making things happen on the left side. He is moving well coming off of injury. The Dutch are passing it around more while the Elephants are desperae in the chase.

82:05 Boka down again for Ivory Coast. I think he is just trying to show off his orange boots. Pretty spiffy looking.

81:35 Ivory Coast might not be the best team in the World Cup but I enjoy their style and their effort. They are giving the Dutch all they could ask for.

80:45 This has been an entertaining match to liveblog. Thanks for joining in with your comments. Let’s see if we see another spectacular finish.

80:01 Ivory Coast going forward with the attack while the Dutch try to hang on to their lead. You can tell which team needs a point and which team wants the three.

78:23 Drogba falls down in the box and there is no call. Ivory Coast with another corner. This could be their chance. But it is headed away. Holland putting all their players behind the ball trying to hold on.

76:35 Ivory Coast corner. Drogba heads it and it bounces off a Dutch defender on the line. Closer than it looked at first. Van Persie with the chest save on the line.

75:35 I will be seeing this referee in my dreams tonight. Not that I am attracted to him but he has been omnipresent.

75:00 Ivory Coast with 15 minutes to make it happen or go home after the first round. Netherlands 15 minutes away from joinin Argentina in the second round.

73:01 Ruud is out and Ladzaat in. A. Kone out and Akale in for IC.

72:04 Bakary Kone reluctant to pull the trigger even though he was close in and had an open path to the goal. First rule of scoring is you have to shoot to score.

70:46 Holland with the better run of things the past five minutes. If you don’t see me commenting these next few minutes it is because I have been struck with lightning. Might make my hair look like Boka’s.

69:46 van Nistlerooy is selfish player. There. I said it. Crucify me.

69:26 Have to think you are going to be a cool person if your name is Yaya. Toure is a nice player. This Ivory Coast team has some talent for being such a small country. They should be proud of their performance thus far even though they have been on the losing end of things.

67:25 Thunder roaring in Berlin but it is nice in Stuttgart. The yellow card has served as an anti-rain dance.

65:44 And the record comes to an end after Boka drags down van Persie. Kind of a weak call but that is the story of all these yellow cards.

64:46 We’ve established a new record. We have gone two minutes without a yellow card.

64:03 Greatly regretting the choice of Bitburger beer this half, but at least I am not like some of you who are at work and unable to imbibe. My heart goes out to you. Netherlands still lead by a goal.

63:02 Van Persie traps it with his hands. I believe that is against the rules. Silly rules.

61:55 Dutch backline looking better organized this half but the Elephants are still creating chances. This is turning out to be a decent day of football and Angola hasn’t even played yet.

60:20 Aruna Dindane also coming on for the Elephants. Henri Michel is going for broke as he should with his team in need of at least a point.

59:21 Gilles Yapi coming on for Ivory Coast. Another tremendous name but my favorite remains Jerko Leko for Croatia and Pimpong for Togo.

57:45 A. Kone blasts it well high over the Dutch goal. This is shaping up to be a good finish.

57:06 Yellow card given to van Bommel. Everyone in the World Cup now officially has a yellow card.

56:19 Boka carried off on a stretcher. A little magic spray ought to make him as good as new.

54:46 Boka down after getting his ankle stomped. That one has to hurt. Not as much as if you miss the next game Angola vs. Mexico. Hope you can join me for that one. Angola is my adopted team and I will be cheering them on.

53:45 A bit of a ragged start to the second half but Ivory Coast starting to create some chances. They will play hard and desperate this half.

52:33 Beckenbauer and Sepp Blatter are in the stands. I want to see Maradona sit next to those guys. He is a nutcase when he watches Argentina. I love it.

51:46 For those scoring at home I am drinking a Bitburger. Probably the worst German beer I have had to date. The Dutch fans on their feet singing with joy. They will have a nervous 40 minutes in this one.

49:51 Van der Vaart on for Wesley Sneijder and Ruud puts one on target but it is saved by the dodgy IC keeper.

49:35 This referee is a camera hog. He is calling everything including phantom fouls. His arm might fall off with all the times he has lifted it to show yellow cards.

48:32 The more I see of Holland the more I think they might be a couple of years away from being a serious threat. Plenty of young players with talent but they aren’t at the level of Argentina at this stage.

46:18 The Group of Death hasn’t necessarily lived up to its name but three of the teams have shown they are very capable. Van Persie with a shot on goal that is saved without much effort.

45:01 The second half is underway. We’ve seen 9 goals already today. Will we see more in the next 45? Ivory Coast sure hopes so. They need at least a tie to stay alive.

Halftime The Dutch got first blood with a pair of goals, but Ivory Coast has come back to make this game interesting. Overall, not a poorly played first half with plenty of up and down the field action. I’m going to get another beer and will be back at the start of the next half. What do you think so far? Which team will win? What should I do with the money I just won in the Spanish lottery?

44:15 Ivory Coast Tizie is a nervous breakdown waiting to happen. He doesn’t make anything look easy. Even lacing up his boots.

43:45 Both teams showing that their defenses are vulnerable and that they have the ability to score. Group C has some high scoring teams, S&M excluded.

41:45 Drogba on a 2-1 break away and he earns a corner. Should have done better. Corner is taken and it is cleared away.

41:15 The Elephants have shown some good fight. Down by a pair of goals they could have folded but they are back in this one.

39:49 Drogba puts a boot in against van de saar and he is shown, what else, a yellow card. Bit harsh of a call really.

39:02 The Ivory Coast goal makes things a little more interesting before the end of the first half. If they can get a tie they can stay alive in the World Cup.

37:32 GOALLLL!!! Bakary Kone makes the run by himself and drills it into the top left corner. Great strike as the Elephants get one back.

37:05 Ruud van Nistlerooy is making all kinds of hand signals but his teammates are ignoring him. Poor dude.

36:03 Bakary Kone down. Might have to amputate his neck. He looks ok. No Beckenbauer sightings today. Is the Kaiser getting bored with football?

34:27 Mathijsen given a yellow for abusing Drogba from behind. This is the World Cup of yellow cards.

32:45 Robben goes for a flop in the box and he is given a yellow. There was minor contact but Robben went down like he was shot by a cannon.

32:10 Zokora with a blast that hits the bar. He had the Dutch keeper beat but is denied by the woodwork.

31:15 Ivory Coast looking uncertain moving forward. Drogba with a nifty flip over his back but it doesn’t work.

29:25 Holland with two chance and two goals. Very effective play from the Oranje. Ivory Coast starting to show its disorganization in the back. The Elephants will continue to attack though so that might keep this one interesting.

27:45 Hard to say if Ruud was offside but it doesn’t matter, the goal counts and Ivory Coast’s World Cup chances are starting to look grim.

25:58 GOALLLLLLL!!!! Robben finds Van Nistlerooy and he burries it home. Ivory Coast was looking for offside but Ruud was wide open.

24:42 Zokora shown a yellow card and it isn’t for his hair. It will be interesting to see how the Elephants respond knowing they need to get at least a point in this one.

22:54 Just a top notch strike from Van Persie but the keeper should have had that one. It went over the wall and right past the keeper’s hand.

22:14 Van Persie taken down outside the box and Holland has a good direct kick chance from straight on. The referee looks like he is having fun with his little microphone headset. Van Persie drills it over the wall. Lovely GOALLLLLLLLLLL!!!

19:40 Robben with a decent run down the side but it is taken away. Too much individual play in this one. Argentina showed a complete team game earlier. Neither side showing that yet in this one.

18:07 Ivory Coast just rolling the ball around. Holland not looking impressive thus far. Boka with a weak shot.

16:15 Ya-Ya Toure with a good opportunity but he hits the side of the net.

15:26 Ndri Romaric’s bleached hair almost broke my television. Man that is one ugly look. Could be in a sci-fi movie.

13:52 Dutch frontline permanately in an offside position. Ivory Coast has no fear. Hopefully the game will open up a bit. Both these teams have some fun players when they have room to work.

12:52 I just received an email saying I won the lottery in Spain. It was nice knowing you all…

12:39 Eboue dives in the box and is not rewarded for his poor acting.

10:45 Bakary Kone looks a bit like P Diddy. He should think about passing to his teammates instead of going one on three.

10:15 Ivory Coast in German is “Elfenbeinkuste”

9:15 If you have a chance to drink Berliner Kindl Bock beer it is highly recommended. The crowd is doing the wave. Not much happening on the pitch at this point.

7:23 I’m getting tired of those yellow referee jereseys. The refs are handing out cards like speeding tickets in this competition. So far none in this game.

6:00 About 35,000 Dutch in the crowd. They are eager to see their team advance along with Argentina. Ragged start to the game thus far with Holland having the better run.

4:45 Both teams settling the nerves a bit. Hooland with the in swinger that floats by the IC keeper and it is away without harm.

3:27 Drogba makes a run for the Elephants but he isn’t able to make the cross. Drogba looks like a man possessed this World Cup.

2:25 Holland into the box but not close. I think I got spoiled watching all those goals in the Argentina game. My guess is we will see some more in this game.

1:02 Mercifully there is no shadow today. The German commentators name is Fritz von thurn und Taxis. Seriously.

0:43 Ivory Coast has two Toure players and two Kone. That is a liveblogging nightmare.

Kickoff: We’re underway in this Group C clash with Holland trying to punch their ticket into the second round and Ivory Coast hoping to keep their World Cup dreams alive. Thanks for joining me for the game. Your comments, thoughts, jokes and jibes are always welcome. Keep ‘em clean and let’s all be friends. Cheers

Pregame

4 minute countdown: Ivory Coast’s anthem is a bit subdued but still lovely. Probably a B-minus grade. Would be higher is their players didn’t dye their hair like that.

5 minute countdown: I’d give the Dutch anthem a solid B. A bit slow for my liking but full of significance and easy to sing along to.

6 minute countdown: The teams are out on the pitch and lined up for their respective anthems. I love this moment in the game. Gives me goose bumps every time hearing the fans sing their anthems loud and proud.

8 minute countdown: The teams are lined up in the tunnel. Ivory Coast in all white and Netherlands in all orange. Van Persie is very friendly with the Elephants players. It is like he just showed up at a family reunion. The Ivory Coast players are laughing and having fun. They look loose.

10 minute countdown: A close up shot of Drogba. He looks angry and hungry. I can relate. My stomach is growling in between sips of beer. I’m liveblogging back-to-back games today so please remind me to pace myself and to eat in between matches. Thank you.

15 minute countdown: It is a sea of orange in the stadium. The Netherlands will have the 12th man on their side. Dutch fans are a lot of fun to party with as I found out a few nights ago. Ivory Coast fans scattered in the stadium. Good effort making the trip to Germany.

18 minute countdown: Johan Cruyff interviewed in German tv. He still looks pretty good. What a great player. Let’s hope we see some of his magic from both teams today.

20 minute countdow: Ruud Van Nistelrooy’s twin is discovered. I promise that is the last crack I make against Ruud unless he does something to earn the wrath.

25 minute: Both teams feature orange on their kits so keep that in mind if you are color blind or simply don’t like the color orange.

30 minute countdown: The weather in Germany today is a bit cooler with a refreshingly nice light breeze. The heat should not be a factor in this match, which is being played in Stuttgart. Perfect weather for a LiveBlog.

35 minute countdown: The two best names on this game’s rosters: Ivory Coast’s Marco Andre Kpolo Zoro and Holland’s Jan Vennegoor of Hesselink.

40 minute countdown: After a day in which the World Cup Blog Berlin HQ was without water, the H2O is back on in the loo which means the beer can be consumed so it will be. I’m looking forward to this game. Ivory Coast showed some skill against Argentina last week and they will be hungry for a win. Holland should be eager as well with a chance to advance if they gain 3 points.

Argentina is on to the next round. Will Netherlands follow suit or will Ivory Coast keep alive in the Group of Death?

Make your predictions now or forever hold your peace.

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