<p style="text-align: justify;"><a href="http://www.thehardtackle.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/06/Netherlands-supporters.jpg"></a><span style="color: #888888;"><strong> </strong></span></p> <p style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #888888;"><strong>(Results: Netherlands 1-0 Japan, Ghana 1-1 Australia, Denmark 2-1 Cameroon)</strong></span></p> <p style="text-align: justify;"><strong> </strong></p> <p style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://view.picapp.com/pictures.photo/entertainment/netherlands-japan/image/9155888?term=wesley+sneijder" target="_blank"><img class="aligncenter" title="Netherlands vs Japan" onmousedown="return false;" src="http://view.picapp.com/pictures.photo/image/9155888/netherlands-japan/netherlands-japan.jpg?size=500&imageId=9155888" border="0" alt="June 19, 2010 - Durban, SOUTH AFRICA - epa02211071 Dutch player Wesley Sneijder (L) scores the 1-0 lead during the FIFA World Cup 2010 group E preliminary round match between Netherlands and Japan at the Durban stadium, Durban, South Africa, 19 June 2010." width="500" height="323" /></a><script src="http://view.picapp.com//JavaScripts/OTIjs.js" type="text/javascript"></script> <pre style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #888888;"><strong>The Sneijder Strikes Back</strong></span></pre> <strong> </strong> <strong>Flying Dutchman of the Day</strong> So <strong><span style="color: #333333;">Wesley Sneijder</span></strong> just refuses to let bygones be bygones. Like a pesky kid, he insists on proving his worth at every opportunity. You'd think he would just be content with rubbing the <strong><span style="color: #333333;">UEFA Champions League</span></strong> in Real Madrid President Florentino Perez's face, but no ... the Dutchman clearly hasn't had enough. He just proved why he's one of the best shooters from medium range with a superb shot that deflected into the goal that left his bench delirious, the Japanese in agony and Florentino Perez switching off the TV. The Flying Dutchman <span style="color: #333333;">(or F***ing Dutchman, if you agree with Perez)</span> has answered his critics. <strong> </strong> <strong> </strong> <strong>Team Spirit Award of the Day</strong> To the Netherlands yet again. For NOT fighting with each other on the pitch, at least. <strong><span style="color: #333333;">Wesley Sneijder</span></strong> has resisted attempts to murder<span style="color: #333333;"> <strong>van Persie</strong></span> so far; but that may have had something to do with his desire to avoid the many witnesses for a crime committed on live TV. It's not that there weren't hiccups along the way - Afellay was in a threatening position towards the end of the game, and looked up to see van Persie; at which point he decided he'd rather pass the ball to the Japanese defender instead. As a shocked van Persie sought an explanation, Afellay is understood to have lifted his jersey to reveal an undeshirt reading <span style="color: #333333;">'Team Sneijder'</span>. <pre style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://view.picapp.com/pictures.photo/entertainment/netherlands-japan/image/9156006?term=wesley+sneijder" target="_blank"><img class="aligncenter" title="Netherlands vs Japan" onmousedown="return false;" src="http://view2.picapp.com/pictures.photo/image/9156006/netherlands-japan/netherlands-japan.jpg?size=234&imageId=9156006" border="0" alt="June 19, 2010 - Durban, SOUTH AFRICA - epa02211094 Netherlands players celebrate after Wesley Sneijder's goal during the FIFA World Cup 2010 group E preliminary round match between Netherlands and Japan at the Durban stadium, Durban, South Africa, 19 June 2010." width="309" height="221" /></a> <script src="http://view.picapp.com//JavaScripts/OTIjs.js" type="text/javascript"><!--mce:1--></script><span style="color: #888888;"><strong>Group Therapy - a hug a day</strong></span></pre> <p style="text-align: justify;"></p> <p style="text-align: justify;">A lot of credit must go to coach <span style="color: #333333;"><strong>Van Marwijk</strong></span> for leading by example - forgiving <span style="color: #333333;"><strong>Gregory van der Wiel</strong></span> for attending a Lil Wayne concert instead of playing a friendly in Australia.</p> <p style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://view.picapp.com/pictures.photo/entertainment/netherlands-coach-bert-van/image/9155587?term=Van+Marwijk" target="_blank"><img class="aligncenter" title="Netherlands' coach Bert van Marwijk reacts during their 2010 World Cup Group E soccer match against Japan at Moses Mabhida stadium" onmousedown="return false;" src="http://view.picapp.com/pictures.photo/image/9155587/netherlands-coach-bert-van/netherlands-coach-bert-van.jpg?size=234&imageId=9155587" border="0" alt="Netherlands' coach Bert van Marwijk reacts during their 2010 World Cup Group E soccer match against Japan at Moses Mabhida stadium in Durban June 19, 2010. REUTERS/Michael Kooren (SOUTH AFRICA - Tags: SPORT SOCCER WORLD CUP)" width="234" height="338" /></a><script src="http://view.picapp.com//JavaScripts/OTIjs.js" type="text/javascript"></script> <pre style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #888888;"><strong>Marwijk - clearly not a fan of rap</strong></span></pre> <strong> </strong> <strong>Most improved Asian of the day</strong> <span style="color: #333333;"><strong>Keisuke Honda</strong></span> who came in to this World Cup on the back of some criticism, has suddenly proven himself to be a team player. He's certainly a star for the future, and credits his elder brother Toyo Ota for introducing him to the beautiful game. As a side note - Toyo Ota stopped playing football, because his problems with unintended acceleration meant he had to brake by slamming into the hoardings every time. <strong> </strong> <strong>Eyesore of the day</strong> The despicable choice of uniform by the Netherlands team, deserves a category of its own. The Japanese stood no chance from the moment the Oranje made their way on the field, in that cornea-blinding attire. As one may recall, the Japanese are a cornea-challenged people - <strong><span style="color: #333333;">fluoroscent colored cartoon images</span> </strong>on TV have induced convulsions in Japan in the past, and the Netherlands' attempt at cynically taking advantage of a known condition should be condemned by all footballing nations. <pre style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://view.picapp.com/pictures.photo/entertainment/fifa-2010-niederlande/image/9156643?term=netherlands+soccer" target="_blank"><img class="aligncenter" title="FIFA WM 2010: Niederlande gegen Japan in Durban" onmousedown="return false;" src="http://view2.picapp.com/pictures.photo/image/9156643/fifa-2010-niederlande/fifa-2010-niederlande.jpg?size=234&imageId=9156643" border="0" alt="June 19, 2010 - Durban, S DAFRIKA - NIEDERL NDISCHER FAN BEIM 1:0 SIEG DER NIEDERLANDE GEGEN JAPAN BEI DER FUSSBALL-WM IN DURBAN.190610 / SAMSTAG / DURBAN / S DAFRIKA / AFRIKA / SPO / 2010 / FUSSBALL / FIFA WM 2010 / WM2010 / WELTMEISTERSCHAFT / FUSSBALLWELTMEISTERSCHAFT / SPIEL 25 / GRUPPENPHASE / GRUPPE E / NIEDERLANDE VS JAPAN / NED VS JPN / FUSSBALLFAN / ZUSCHAUER / PUBLIKUM / KOST M / ..action press/Fotosports .FIFA World Cup, Group Match, Netherlands vs Japan on June 19, 2010 in Durban, South Africa. ..FIFA WORLD CUP 2010 / FOOTBALL / SOCCER / SOUTH AFRICA / SATURDAY / GROUP E / NETHERLANDS VS JAPAN." width="234" height="336" /></a> <script src="http://view.picapp.com//JavaScripts/OTIjs.js" type="text/javascript"><!--mce:3--></script><span style="color: #888888;"><strong>Poke 'em on?</strong></span></pre> <p style="text-align: justify;"><strong> </strong></p> <p style="text-align: justify;"><strong>'Hand of Dog' moment of the day</strong></p> <p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #333333;"><strong>Harry Kewell</strong></span> felt as unwelcome as a stray pooch on a cat-owner's doormat, as he was handed a red card for his valiant attempt at playing tennis on a football field. His teammates pleas of "But, that's how we play it Down Under" fell on deaf ears and were met with the stony face of the referee, Roberto Rosetti.</p> <p style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://view.picapp.com/pictures.photo/sports/africa-rosetti/image/9156492?term=roberto+rosetti" target="_blank"><img class="aligncenter" title="AFRICA WC ROSETTI" onmousedown="return false;" src="http://view1.picapp.com/pictures.photo/image/9156492/africa-rosetti/africa-rosetti.jpg?size=234&imageId=9156492" border="0" alt="SOCCER/FUTBOL WORLD CUP 2010 GHANA VS AUSTRLIA Action photo of main referee Roberto Rosetti, during World Cup 2010 game held at the Real Bafokeng stadium, South Africa./Foto de accion de Roberto Rosetti arbitro central, durante juego de la Copa del Mundo 2010 celebrado en el estadio Real Bafokeng, Sudafrica. 19 June 2010 MEXSPORT/ETZEL ESPINOSA Photo via Newscom" width="316" height="230" /></a><script src="http://view.picapp.com//JavaScripts/OTIjs.js" type="text/javascript"></script> <pre style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #888888;"><strong>The Rosetti Stone (face)</strong></span></pre> <strong>British Petroleum's Spill of the Day</strong> Ghana's <span style="color: #333333;"><strong>Richard Kingson</strong></span> walks away with the honors here, with a spill so deadly - that seagulls fell out of the sky covered in slicky goo. It's still not as bad as Robert Green's howler that had the David Cameron government offer a global apology for his nation's desecration of the beautiful game. <strong> </strong> <strong>Jabulani Moment of the Day</strong> This ball <span style="color: #333333;"><strong>will</strong></span> deflect from it's intended path. If it doesn't, <strong><span style="color: #333333;">Eiji Kawashima</span></strong> - the Japanese goalkeeper - will deflect it himself. We don't want the ball not living up to its reputation now, do we? <strong> </strong> <strong>The "Who? That guy?!" moment of the day</strong> <a href="http://view.picapp.com/pictures.photo/entertainment/south-africa-tshwane-2010/image/9159102?term=nicklas+bendtner" target="_blank"><img class="aligncenter" title="SOUTH AFRICA-TSHWANE-2010 FIFA WORLD CUP-CAMEROON VS DENMARK" onmousedown="return false;" src="http://view3.picapp.com/pictures.photo/image/9159102/south-africa-tshwane-2010/south-africa-tshwane-2010.jpg?size=500&imageId=9159102" border="0" alt="TSHWANE, June 20, 2010 Nicklas Bendtner of Denmark(R) celebrates after scoring during the 2010 World Cup Group E soccer match against Cameroon at Loftus Verfeld stadium in Tshwane, South Africa, on June 19, 2010." width="500" height="305" /></a> <script src="http://view.picapp.com//JavaScripts/OTIjs.js" type="text/javascript"></script> <pre style="text-align: center;"><strong><span style="color: #888888;">Who says I can't score?</span> </strong></pre> <p style="text-align: justify;"><strong><span style="color: #333333;"> </span></strong></p> <p style="text-align: justify;"><strong><span style="color: #333333;">Nicklas Bendtner</span></strong>, the guy who regularly misses goal-scoring opportunities (the likes of which a grandmother could convert) at Arsenal, does surprisngly well for his country. Dennis Rommedahl gave the offside trap a slip, and slid in a spectacular cross for Saint Nicklas as he brought home the presents in spectacular fashion.</p>