Australia 2-3 Netherlands: Depay strike spares Oranje blushes
The Netherlands have all but booked their place in the last-16 of the World Cup after they eked out a victory over Australia in a helter-skelter encounter.
Louis van Gaal's side had taken the lead through Arjen Robben's third goal in Brazil before Tim Cahill equalised with a sensational volley that put itself up as an early contender for goal of the tournament.
The Socceroos were proving to be more than a match for the Oranje and took a shock lead from a dubious penalty after half-time.
Oliver Bozanic's cross slammed off the unfortunate Daryl Janmaat's arm and up stepped Miles Jedinak to confidently stroke the ball past Jasper Cillessen.
Defensively both sides looked suspect and it was no surprise to see Robin van Persie level just four minutes later, as the Manchester United striker smashed the ball home.
Who would win was anybody's guess such was the end-to-end nature of the match but it proved to be the Oranje as substitute Memphis Depay fired past Mat Ryan's poor save from distance.
The game began tentatively with Australia doing well to frustrate the Netherlands early on, however, the ice was broken when Robben robbed Alex Wilkinson on 19 minutes to sprint clear and dispatch with ease.
However, the Socceroos refused to lay down and equalised immediately from kick off as Cahill volleyed an absolute worldy in off the underside of the bar.
Mark Bresciano and Matthew Spiranovic both spurned good chances for the unfancied Aussies to take the lead.
However, they would not be denied and Jedinak's converted penalty - that came from a slice of good fortune - had the Oranje staring at an incredible defeat.
In front of goal Australia were not clinical enough thouigh and it told when Van Persie equalised moments later, taking advantage of a butchered breakaway by Cahill and Matthew McKay.
The Dutch captain was fed by Robben on 58 minutes and he swivelled past an invisible Aussie backline to easily level the match.
Still the Aussies could have retaken the lead had Tommy Oar leathered the ball at goal when free in the box instead of inexplicably crossing the ball for Matthew Lackie to chest the ball easily at the Dutch goal.
And just as they had done in finding the leveller, the Netherlands took advantage of their opponent's profligacy - substitute Depay bursting clear and unleashing a long range strike which Ryan poorly let slip by him.
The goal knocked the stuffing out of Australia and with more than 20 minutes left they could no longer summon the strength to respond as the Dutch all but booked their spot in the knock-out stages.