Posted by ESPN Stats & Information
Netherlands 2, Slovakia 1
The Netherlands advanced to the quarterfinals of the World Cup for the first time since 1998 courtesy of a 2-1 victory over Slovakia. The three goals in Monday's match helped push the goals-per-match total of this World Cup to 2.25, edging it ahead of 1990's 2.21, which is the lowest in World Cup history. Arjen Robben provided the early tally for the Dutch, scoring in the 18th minute. Robben's only other World Cup goal came against Serbia and Montenegro in the 2006 World Cup and was also in the 18th minute.
• The Netherlands won despite completing only 335 passes, its lowest total in a match at this year's World Cup and only the sixth time since 1978 that it has completed fewer than 350 in a match.
• The Netherlands is averaging 10.8 chances created per match -- defined as passes from teammates that lead to shots -- its lowest since the stat was first tracked in 1966. However, the Oranje are averaging a goal for every 6.1 chances created, their best-ever total at a World Cup.
• Slovakia finished the World Cup with a 67.5 percent passing accuracy in the opposition half. Since the World Cup changed its knockout stage format in 1986, only seven teams have advanced past the round of 16 with a passing accuracy that low, the last being Ukraine (67.3 percent) in 2006.