Dutch gun for second win against Japan

Durban: The Netherlands take on Japan in Group E on Saturday with high hopes of securing a berth in the World Cup's knockout stages.

Winger Arjen Robben is still doubtful, but the Dutch are talking up their chances in this tournament despite an unconvincing opening 2-0 win against Denmark that was helped by a Danish own goal.

"We just have to deliver this World Cup," midfielder Nigel de Jong said. "We have got enough quality to do it."

Robben flew out late to join the Dutch team and is racing to recover from a left hamstring injury suffered on a June 5 friendly against Hungary.

Robben too said the Netherlands have a chance to break their the World Cup curse in South Africa.

Two-time runners up, the Netherlands placed fourth in 1998 and have been viewed as underachievers on the world stage for the past 35 years.

"There are a lot of big teams at the World Cup with a lot of quality," Robben told FIFA.com. "But we have a very good group of players and we can accomplish something at this World Cup."

Bert Van Marwijk's Dutch side blitzed though qualification, winning all eight matches, with a goals for and against tally of 17-2.

They kept their winning run through friendly games against the United States and Mexico, before a 4-1 win over Ghana on June 1 and the 6-1 rout of Hungary days later.

In Durban, the Dutch face a Japanese team buoyed by its 1-0 win over Cameroon, following a string of losses in warm-up matches.

Coach Takeshi Okada benched former Celtic star Shunsuke Nakamura in the game against Cameroon, but that gamble paid off when Keisuke Honda scored the game's only goal in the 39th minute.

Honda, a CSKA Moscow midfielder, played as the lone forward for a team that has had difficultly finding a reliable goal scorer.

Okada praised his players after their opening win, but has remained tightlipped about his plans for Saturday's match.

"Our players did very well despite the extra pressure they faced in our first game at the tournament," Okada said.

"We'll do whatever we think necessary to boost the team's chances of winning (Saturday)."

Japan and the Netherlands have only met once, with the Dutch winning 3-0 in an international friendly nine months ago.

Midfielder Yasuhito Endo indicated the Japanese would stick to their defensive formula, aimed at frustrating their favored opponents.

"We know how their players play," he said. "We'll need to work harder than we did for our first game, keeping their strengths in mind."