Japan joined Holland in the World Cup round of 16 with a thoroughly deserved 3-1 victory over a sluggish Denmark side in Rustenburg on Thursday. Holland finished on top of Group E with maximum nine points after claiming a 2-1 victory over Cameroon, who finished at the bottom with no points after suffering three defeats. Robin van Persie scored his first goal of the tournament to give Holland the lead after 36 minutes. Samuel Eto'o, who also scored in Cameroon's 2-1 defeat by Denmark, converted a penalty five minutes past the hour mark to level the score. Substitute Klaas-Jan Huntelaar notched the winner on the rebound with six minutes remaining after a superb curling shot from Arjen Robben, who made his comeback from injury, struck the post. Holland will face Slovakia, who stunned Italy with a 3-2 victory earlier in the day, in the second round. Japan finished second in Group E with six points to become the second Asian team to book a last-16 berth after South Korea. A spectacular free-kick from in-form forward Keisuke Honda put Japan ahead in the 17th minute. Another free kick, this time a curling one from Yasuhito Endo, doubled the team's advantage in the 30th minute. Denmark's 33-year-old striker Jon Dahl Tomasson pulled one back in the 80th minute but Shinji Okazaki scored three minutes from time to ensure Japan's win. Takeshi Okada's side will play Paraguay, who finished on top of Group F, in the next round.
