Holland turn on the style

Holland 2 Norway 0

Holland celebrated their qualification for next summer’s World Cup finals with an Arjen Robben-inspired qualifying victory over Norway in Rotterdam.

After a slow start the Dutch utterly dominated their struggling visitors – who remain bottom of Group Nine – and a seventh win out of seven in their pool campaign rarely looked in doubt.

Robben was the executioner in chief, providing the free-kick from which Andre Ooijer opened the scoring in the first half before drilling an excellent second after the break.

Despite their status as overwhelming underdogs after three draws and a defeat from their opening four games, Norway started brightly at De Kuip, with their hosts perhaps understandably subdued after their passage to South Africa was secured at the weekend.

However, it was still the Dutch who fashioned the first chance of the game in the 13th minute when Liverpool forward Dirk Kuyt headed over a sharp chance from six yards.

That incident appeared to spark Bert van Marwijk’s men into life and they began to dominate the visitors.

Christian Grindheim was booked for scything down Mark Van Bommel, moments before Robben shot over from the edge of the box.

And after half an hour it was the Real Madrid winger who created Holland’s opening goal.

Bjorn Helge Riise fouled Arsenal’s Robin van Persie in a dangerous position, providing Robben with the chance to curl a free-kick into the box which was headed home by Ooijer in the 33rd minute.

Midfielder Riise was almost immediately hauled off for striker Daniel Braaten as Norway coach Egil Olsen sought a way back into the game.

His switch had little immediate impact, however, and the only remaining chance of the opening period fell to the hosts, when Van Persie fired a 25-yard shot into the arms of Jon Knudsen two minutes before the break.

Holland left-back Giovanni Van Bronckhorst was replaced by Edson Braafheid during the interval, but it was Norway who went straight on the attack and Maarten Stekelenburg had to be lively to tip Grindheim’s shot over the bar.

Rafael van der Vaart responded with a shot of his own in an entertaining start to the half – and in the 51st minute his Dutch team-mates went two goals up.

This time Robben claimed the glory for himself when he collected Van Persie’s pass 25 yards out and fired a brilliant shot into the bottom corner from the left channel.

The former Chelsea man was at the heart of everything and had further efforts with a shot and header soon afterwards, neither of which found the net.

Unperturbed, Robben was at it again just after the hour mark and Knudsen did brilliantly to palm over his shot from the edge of the area.

The deadly Dutchman was given a rousing reception when he was replaced by Ryan Babel late on, and the only marginally less effective Van Persie soon followed with Klaas Jan Huntelaar taking his place.