Netherlands - 1 Australia - 1: One red card, a Mark Viduka penalty miss, an early Ruud van Nistelrooy goal and a Tim Cahill equaliser. Add Robin van Persie's one-man war against half the Australian team, three Dutch players limping off injured and Giovanni van Bronckhorst accusing Luke Wilkshire of playing dirty and this World Cup warm-up was more than the friendly it was billed as.
Wilkshire was sent off by Mike Dean in the second half after a crunching tackle on Van Bronckhorst, who was furious with the Bristol City midfielder after the game. "I do not think he wanted to go for the ball," he said. "Luckily for me, the injury is not too bad but if it had been, I would have missed the World Cup and, in a game like this, I don't think it would have been worth it.
"We knew Australia were a physical team. It is one of their strengths. But I just felt some of their challenges were too hard. After all, we are only one week away from a World Cup." Wilkshire, however, was in no mood to apologise for the tackle. "I feel hard done by but it is the referee's decision," he said. "It is disappointing [ to get sent off] but I have to take it on the chin and get on with it. Thankfully, the boys dug deep and we got a draw."
Van Bronckhorst had to come off as a result of the challenge and Phillip Cocu and Wesley Sneijder also suffered knocks. "Sneijder is limping and his ankle is strapped up," the coach Marco van Basten said, adding that Van Bronckhorst and Cocu should be fit for the World Cup.
Both teams fielded strong sides although Australia began with Harry Kewell and Tim Cahill on the bench, both having just recovered from injury. It was Cahill's absence that gave Wilkshire a rare start in central midfield.
Cocu was the first casualty of the game and he had to be replaced in the 37th minute after suffering what looked like a thigh injury. By then, Van Nistelrooy had given the Netherlands the lead, side-footing in the rebound after Mark Schwarzer had parried Andre Ooijer's stinging shot from outside the area in the ninth minute.
Australia came close to equalising just before half-time. Scott Chipperfield raced down the left to deliver an inviting cross but Viduka failed to steer his header past Edwin van der Sar.
Seven minutes into the second half, Viduka broke into Holland's penalty area but was brought down and Dean pointed to the spot. The Middlesbrough striker, who missed in the penalty shoot-out against Uruguay in November when Australia booked their place in Germany, had a chance to redeem himself as he placed the ball on the spot. But, amid the whistles from the Dutch fans, his shot crashed against the bar and he had to rely on Cahill, on as a substitute, to prod the ball home with his first touch of the game to equalise.
The game then became distinctly unfriendly and Van Persie should probably avoid taking any holidays in Australia in the near future after his battles with Chipperfield and Vince Grella, with the Australian players and fans clearly unimpressed by his aggressive style.
Grella, who plays his club football in Italy with Parma, was impressive for Australia, holding the Socceroos' midfield together and snapping at the heels of Van Persie, Van Nistelrooy and Arjen Robben whenever they looked threatening. After Wilkshire received his marching orders, Australia were forced to defend but they did so superbly.
John Aloisi came on to replace Viduka and Guus Hiddink's side frustrated Holland, who were desperate for a winner in front of their fans. Van Persie came closest but he hit the post from a free-kick in the last minute after Van Nistelrooy had been upended. On this evidence, Australia may inconvenience more teams in the next few weeks.
Guardian Service
NETHERLANDS: Van der Sar, Mathijsen, Van Bronckhorst (Kuyt 64), Cocu (Maduro 37), van Nistelrooy, Robben, Kromkamp (Heitinga 46), Ooijer, Van Persie, Van Bommel, Sneijder (Landzaat 50). Subs not used: Stekelenburg, Boulahrouz, De Cler, Vennegoor of Hesselink, Babel, Timmer. Goal: van Nistelrooy 9.
AUSTRALIA: Schwarzer, Neill, Moore, Culina, Emerton, Viduka (Aloisi 65), Grella, Chipperfield, Wilkshire, Sterjovski (Cahill 51), Bresciano (Thompson 67). Subs not used: Kalac, Popovic, Skoko, Kewell, Lazaridis, Covic, Beauchamp, Kennedy, Milligan, Sarkies. Sent Off: Wilkshire (61). Booked: Wilkshire, Grella. Goal: Cahill 54.
Referee: M Dean (England).
