Final Score - WC2010 FINAL Match Report, Netherlands vs Japan

	NETHERLANDS		JAPAN
1	Maarten STEKELENBERG (GK)		Eiji KAWASHIMA (GK)	21
2	Gregory VAN DER WIEL		Yuichi KOMANO	3
5	Giovanni VAN BRONCKHORST (C)		Yuto NAGATOMO	5
3	John HEITINGA		Yuji NAKAZAWA	22
4	Joris MATHIJSEN		Marcus Tuli TANAKA	4
8	Nigel DE JONG		Yuki ABE	2
20	Ibrahim AFELLAY		Yasuhito ENDO	7
6	Mark VAN BOMMEL		Makoto HASEBE (C)	17
9	Robin VAN PERSIE		Keisuke HONDA	18
19	Ryan BABEL		Yoshito OKUBO	16
11	Arjen ROBBEN		Daisuke MATSUI	8
	COACH: Bert VAN MARWIJK (NED)		COACH: Takeshi OKADA (JPN)

The only change to either team before the match was the inclusion of Ibrahim Afellay who starts in place of the injured Wesley Sniejder.

2' A loose ball is picked up by Japan's Okubo who sends it down the wing for Matsui. His deep cross into a crowded goalmouth was met by Keisuke Honda but well saved by Stekelenberg.

10' Holland start out on the counter attack when Heitinga tackled Okubo, collecting the ball and running with it. His ball was inch perfect and Robin van Persie neatly placed it into the bottom corner
NED 1 - 0 JPN

16' Okubo was tackled again, this time by van der Wiel who sent it crossfield to Ibrahim Afellay. The next pass was delayed too long, catching Babel in an offside position.

27' Mathijsen wins an aerial encounter with Yasuhito Endo and runs into the box. Ryan Babel chipped the ball up into the air where Nathijsen miscued his shot for an easy Kawashima save.

33' Holland have a free kick out wide but the delivery towards de Jong is cleared.

35' Japan are first to another loose ball allowing Honda the space to run down the wing, but his pass to the supporting Endo was poor.

45' On the stroke of halftime Yuto Nagatomo was booked.

HALFTIME SCORE
Netherlands 1 - 0 Japan

53' A sluggish start to the second half was soon forgotten when Japan equalised on the counter attack. Abe was able to get the better of Mathijsen in the air, flicking the ball on for Matsui to run onto. His low, hard ball was met in the area by Yoshito Okubo who slammed his second World Cup goal just inside the post.
NED 1 - 1 JPN

54' Tanaka was booked for removing his shirt in celebration.

67' Another lull in proceedings was interrupted by a pair of substitutions. For Holland van der Vaart, available again after his suspension, replaced a quiet van Bommel. For Japan Kengo Nakamura came on for Endo.

69' Marcus Tulio Tanaka looked very sheepish after he received a second yellow card, Mr Webb showing him the red card to leave Japan with ten men for the remainder of the match. Japan quickly changed the look of the team by taken off the goalscorer Okubo and replacing him with midfielder Shunsuke Nakamura.

74' It took just five minutes for the Netherlands to take advantage of their extra man. Kengo Nakamura had only been on the field for seven minutes but his contribution would be remembered for the ball he gave straight to Mathiejsen. He then found Afellay who saw Rafael van der Vaart streaking through for a one-on-one chance with Kawashima. The Japanese keeper hurried the Dutchmen into a quick shot that was saved before Robin van Persie followed up to score his eighth goal of the tournament andput Holland fuly in pole position.
NED 2 - 1 JPN

80' Japan continue to get onto loose balls with Nakazawa sending it out wide to Shunsuke Nakamura who was able to evade one tackle but sent his cross into the side of the goal. Andre Ooijer then entered the game, coming on for van Bronckhorst in defence.

84' Holland were very much in a defensive posture but they were free to counter attack if the opportunity was on. In this case Heitinga put his foot in on Matsui and sent a long ball towards van Persie. The Golden Boot winner laid it off for Ooijer who was unable to get enough bend on his thirty yard shot that sailed a little wide.

84' The final substitutions. Edson Braafheid on for Arjen Robben; Kisho Yano for Makoto Hasebe.

90' After two minutes of stoppage time Howard Webb blows the final whistle. Holland win the World Cup!