Cameroon v Holland: match preview

Group E
Cameroon v Holland
Green Point Stadium, Cape Town
Kick-off: Thu June 24, 7.30pm BST
Qualifcation assured, the Dutch are likely to rest key players against already-eliminated Cameroon ahead of a possible last 16 tie against Italy.
Coach Bert van Marwijk is still without Arjen Robben, with the Bayern Munich nursing a calf injury, but had the game been decisive, Robben would have been fit to play.
Cameroon arrived in South Africa with genuine hopes of joining Holland in the knock-out stages, but two straight defeats have left the Indomitable Lions preparing for a flight home on Friday.
It has been a poor World Cup for Africa and even a victory in Cape Town will do little to ease the continent’s disappointment

Touchline duel
Bert van Marwijk v Paul Le Guen: Le Guen, who forged a strong reputation as Lyon coach earlier this decade, has produced the results that saw him sacked as Rangers manager during Cameroon’s dismal World Cup campaign.
Two defeats out of two so far have assured a first round exit for one of Africa’s footballing superpowers, so even a win against the Dutch will do little to save face for Le Guen and his players.
Van Marwijk’s calm, under-stated approach is working well with a squad prone to the kind of in-fighting that the French appeared to have mastered in South Africa.
Talking tactics
The primary tactic for Holland will be to ensure they emerge from the game without injury against a traditionally physical opponent.
With the fate of both nations already assured, this game is of the dead-rubber variety that will do nothing to tempt the laid-back Capetonians to fill the Green Point Stadium.
Bigger tests are to come for the Dutch, but emerging unscathed from this one will be the key objective.
Key clash
Benoit Assou-Ekotto v Dirk Kuyt: Spurs defender Assou-Ekotto arrived at the World Cup on the back of an impressive season in the Premier League, with real hopes of emerging as a star performer in South Africa.
It hasn’t happened thus far, but Kuyt in contrast has shone for the Dutch following a difficult campaign at Liverpool.
What they say
Cameroon forward Samuel Eto’o said: “All my season was focused to be ready for this World Cup. It's the only thing I could think about, so it's hard. It's not normal for us to finish last."
Holland coach Bert van Marwijk said: “I haven't looked at the next stage yet because the first match was the most important. I take the match against
Cameroon very seriously because it is in that match that the team has to show that they have learned. We want to improve in every match.”
Previous meetings
Played: 2 Cameroon 0, Draws 1, Holland 1
1998: (Arnhem, friendly): Holland 0 Cameroon 0
2006: (Rotterdam, friendly): Holland 1 Cameroon 0
Teams
Cameroon (4-4-2): Souleymanou (16); Mbia (19), Nkoulou (3), Bassong (5), Assou-Ekotto (2); A Song (6), Geremi (8), Enoh (18), Emana (10); Webo (15), Eto’o (9)
Subs: Kameni (g) (1), Ndy (g) (22), R Song (4) Bong (12), Chedjou (14), Nguemo (7), Makoun (11), Mandjeck (20), Matip (21), Choupo-Moting (13), Idrissou (17), Aboubakar (23)
Suspended: None
Injured: None
Holland (4-2-3-1): Stekelenburg (1); Boulahrouz (12), Heitinga (3), Mathijsen (4), Van Bronckhorst (5); Van Bommel (6), De Zeeuw (14); Kuyt (7), Babel (19), Afellay (20); Huntelaar (21).
Subs: Vorm (16) (g), Boschker (22) (g), Van der Wiel (2), Ooijer (13), Braafheid (15), De Jong (8), Sneijder (10), Schaars (18), Van der Vaart (23), Van Persie (9), Elia (17)
Suspended: None
Injured: Robben (calf)
Referee: Pablo Pozo (Chile)
Fact: Cameroon have lost their last three games in the World Cup.
Prediction: Holland were the first team to qualify for the last 16 while Cameroon are out, so a win for the Oranje.