World Cup 2010: Netherlands - Denmark: All Square At Half-Time

Netherlands coach Bert van Marwijk gave Rafael van der Vaart the nod to prove his worth at the left wing and started in the 4-2-3-1 formation we are all used to from the Dutch.

For Denmark, national coach Morten Olsen awarded striker Nicklas Bendtner a starting berth despite his alleged injury problems. Additionally, Simon Poulsen and Thomas Enevoldsen were somewhat surprisingly included in Denmark's starting XI.

Denmark started the match in a bit of a sloppy way, as a weak backpass immediately troubled shot stopper Thomas Sorensen. The glovesman managed to clear the ball into safety before Robin van Persie got to the ball though.

The referee awarded Oranje a free kick about 40 yards away from the Danish goal in the sixth minute and Wesley Sneijder opted to try his luck from long range. However, the Inter star aimed high and wide and the ball ended up in the stands.

Sorensen was called into action again after ten minutes of play. Dirk Kuyt was given some extra room and decided to pounce on the opportunity to shoot on goal. Looked fairly rudimentary for Sorensen, despite for the fact that he dropped it, but luckily for him and the Danes, no Dutch players were on hand to capitalise.

Van Persie turned his man inside out with a delicate first touch halfway the first half before he picked out Van Der Vaart. The latter fired with his left, but the ball went out for a corner.

Enevoldsen then decided to take things into his own hands and charges towards goal. Since no one shutted him down, he winded up his right foot and blasted his shot high and wide.

Danish Dynamite got the best chance of the match after 27 minutes of play. Dennis Rommedahl sent in a perfect cross from the right for Nicklas Bendtner and the Arsenal star headed only just wide from close range.