Arjen Robben is ‘crowned’ by teammate Dirk Kuyt (left) after The Netherlands defeated Serbia and Montenegro in a group C encounter at Central Stadium in Leipzig on Sunday. The Dutch won 1-0 through a Robben goal. (AP)

Leipzig: Arjen Robben, the Chelsea winger, produced a virtuoso performance to pave the way for victory in Holland’s opening match of the World Cup against Serbia and Montenegro.

Robben was at the heart of an impressive performance by Marco van Basten’s young Dutch side, and Holland have served notice that they should be regarded as realistic contenders. Serbia were defensively strong but wasted the few chances they created, and were never comfortable dealing with Robben, who scored the only goal of the game in the 18th minute.

In truth, Holland will be disappointed not to have made several opportunities count but, given the toughness of group C, will be content to have registered this win. The blend of youth along with the experience of Phillip Cocu, Mark van Bommel and Ruud van Nistelrooy looks perfectly balanced, while the fluidity of their attack should make them dangerous to any side.

Serbia had set out their stall to thwart the Dutch and rarely committed numbers forward, but once they had gone behind that only played into Holland’s hands. Matters might have been different had Savo Milosevic been more clinical with two early chances. The first came after some brilliant skill by Predrag Djordjevic left Joris Mathijsen standing and Milosevic managed to fall over Mateja Kezman as the cross came in.

Milosevic, the former Aston Villa forward, should have done better again when given time and space to shoot in the penalty area but his shot was feeble and Edwin van der Sar made an easy save. That proved costly as Robben then beat the offside trap to run on to Robin van Persie’s volleyed pass and finish with aplomb as Dragoslav Jevric, the Serbia and Montenegro, came out to meet him.

The goal sent the 25,000 Holland fans in Leipzig’s Central Stadium into raptures and Robben nearly sparked further celebrations with a fierce angled drive that the goalkeeper managed to turn aside. Robben then set up Wesley Sneijder for a 20-yard shot but the Ajax midfield player dragged it wide.

With the half-hour mark approaching Milosevic ? on his 99th international appearance ? had a chance to make amends for his earlier miss but sliced a first-time shot wide, then Kezman was off-target with a far-post header from Djordjevic’s cross. The chances kept coming, and Van Persie directed a diving header at goal but straight into Jevric’s hands.

Robben was running rings round Nenad Djordjevic and once again he tormented the Serbia full-back before sliding in a low shot that missed the far-post by an inch. Ilija Petkovic, the Serbia coach, had seen enough and replaced his unhappy right-back. Ognjen Koroman, lately of Portsmouth, came on and Igor Duljaj moved to right-back to try to stifle Robben.

TEAMS

The Netherlands: Edwin van der Sar, Giovanni van Bronckhorst, Joris Mathijsen (Khalid Boulahrouz 86), Andre Ooijer, Johnny Heitinga, Phillip Cocu, Wesley Sneijder, Mark van Bommel (Denny Landzaat 60), Arjen Robben, Ruud van Nistelrooy (Dirk Kuyt, 69), Robin van Persie.

Serbia-Montenegro: Dragoslav Jevric, Ivica Dragutinovic, Mladen Krstajic, Goran Gavrancic, Nenad Djordjevic (Ognjen Koroman 43), Predrag Djordjevic, Albert Nadj, Igor Duljaj, Dejan Stankovic, Mateja Kezman (Danijel Ljuboja 67), Savo Milosevic (Nikola Zigic 46).

Referee: Merk Markus (Germany).