Preview: Cameroon – Netherlands

(GSM) – A draw with already eliminated Cameroon will be enough for the Netherlands to secure the top spot in World Cup Group E.

For Cameroon, there is little left to play for in this game as third place is the best they can achieve in this group after losing to Japan and Denmark respectively. In their second group game against the Danes, the Africans started well but allowed a 1-0 lead to turned around to a 1-2 defeat.

The Netherlands won their first two games at this tournament, beating both Denmark and Japan to become the first team to secure their spot in the next round.

Netherlands manager Bert van Marwijk confirmed that he plans to field his regular team for this last group game rather than select a team of reserves. Although there will be little pressure on the team, a defeat could still cost them the first place in this group.

For that to occur, the Dutch would have to lose while either Denmark or Japan win the other game by enough goals to move to the top of Group E.

Whether Arjen Robben plays remains to be seen. The player himself said that he may spend some minutes on the pitch but he and Van Marwijk may also opt to avoid any risk and leave the forward benched until the round of sixteen.

Nigel de Jong, Robin van Persie and Gregory van der wiel were booked in the previous two games and another yellow card against Cameroon would cost them the next round.

These two sides last met for a World Cup warm-up game in 2006, which the Dutch won 1-0. Exactly eight years earlier, the teams kept each other to a goalless draw.

Thursday’s game will take place at Cape Town Stadium with kick-off at 20:30 local time. The referee appointed is Chilean Pablo Pozo.