Aussies keep unbeaten run against Dutch in draw

The Netherlands have still to beat Australia in three meetings after they had to settle with a scoreless draw in their international friendly here on Saturday.

The world number three Dutch controlled the match but could not come up with the winner their dominance deserved with their intricate short passing game.

Both nations have already qualified for next year’s World Cup finals in South Africa, but the 14th-ranked Socceroos can take pride in that they have yet to lose to the Dutchmen.

The Socceroos, under previous Dutch coach Guus Hiddink, drew 1-1 with the Netherlands in Rotterdam as a lead-up game to the 2006 World Cup in Germany and downed the Dutch 2-1 in Eindhoven in September last year.

That was the last time the Dutch have been defeated in 12 subsequent internationals, including an unbeaten World Cup qualifying campaign.

“The only thing that was not so good was that we didn’t score a goal,” Dutch coach Bert van Marwijk said.

“I think we deserved to score a goal to win the game. I think Australia had just half a chance for the whole game.

“We knew the Australian team and I know (their Dutch coach) Pim (Verbeek) very well. They wait for a mistake from our team and play the counter, but we have a different way of playing.”

The Australians had a chance to snatch victory in the final minutes when Brett Holman was clear on goal but he blasted his angled volley over the bar.

“This was a very good test for us, the Dutch team made us work very hard and we had to concentrate and do a well organised job and I think we did that,” Verbeek said.

“When we had the ball we lost it too easily and we didn’t create because there wasn’t enough real chances.

“We know that we still have to improve because we could see that the Dutch team was in every aspect of football the better team.”

The Dutch with Wesley Sneijder and Demy de Zeeuw running the midfield, dominated the opening half.

The Orange team controlled possession and had more of the scoring chances, with AC Milan striker Klaas Jan Huntelaar twice heading well over the bar from good positions.

The Socceroos had an early setback when Blackburn Rovers defensive midfielder Vince Grella left the field with a thigh injury, making way for Italian-based understudy Carl Valeri.

It took the Australians over 20 minutes to get the ball into the Dutch box and Holman forced their goalkeeper Maarten Stekelenburg into a save minutes later.

Liverpool star Dirk Kuyt was replaced by his Liverpool team mate Ryan Babel at half-time and Verbeek hauled off Tim Cahill, Josh Kennedy and Craig Moore in a triple substitution to save them for next week’s AFC Asian Cup qualifier with Oman in Melbourne.

Blackburn Rovers utility Brett Emerton came on for his first appearance for Australia since June last year after a serious knee injury.

Sneijder, who was troubled by influenza this week, was brought off after 69 minutes for Orlando Engelaar.