Well, I guess it had to end sometime. But Slovakia’s exit from the tournament was one of class and dignity. Free of controversy, lopsidedness, and poor play, Slovakia put up a superb effort and were simply beaten by a better team. But it was a highly contested match, with the Netherlands not really putting the game away until the 84th minute, and Slovakia generating three very legitimate chances.

-Still riding high from their win over Italy, Slovakia came out confident and focused. Erik Jendrisek put a shot over the top of the crossbar just a minute and a half into the game and things looked positive for the Repre. The Netherlands on the other hand came out very relaxed and lacking urgency. It was an effective attitude however, as they controlled most of the first half.

-In the 17th minute, Arjen Robben’s brilliance shone through. The Bayern Munich winger caught up to a ball, cut in to his left and sent a left-footed rocket past three defenders and Mucha into the back of the net. There was a little bit of sloppy defending on the play, but in the end, there wasn’t a lot that could have been done to stifle Robben.

-No Slovakian player really stood out in today’s match save for goalkeeper Jan Mucha. Mucha was tested from both close and long range, turning away almost all shots, although he took a beating in doing so. Most notably, Mucha took a shot right off the face, denying Mathijsen of a goal.

-Slovakia had three real chances to even the score line in the second half. First, a crack from Miroslav Stoch in the 66th minute that goalkeeper Maarten Stekelenburg knocked over the bar. Then Robert Vittek had a pair of one on one opportunities with Stekelenburg. The Dutch goalkeeper made a reflex save on the first shot and Vittek couldn’t get the ball off of his foot fast enough and sent it wide on the second opportunity. There was a certain amount of agony in those three chances, knowing how rare those opportunities are and how close the Repre came to tying the score.

-The game ended on a high note for Slovakia. Kamil Kopunek drew a penalty kick in the waning minutes of the match, giving Robert Vittek an opportunity to score his fourth goal of the tournament and become the leading scorer in Slovakia’s history. Although judging from Vittek face after the goal, he most certainly would have rathered a Repre victory, the milestone is well-deserved and just adds to Vittek’s legendary status.

Despite the loss, Slovakia’s stint in South Africa has surely been a successful one. The goal from the beginning was to advance to the knockout round and they did just that. Even though there were a few bumps along the way, the lasting image of Slovakia will be one of heart, courage and class.