International friendly: Netherlands 2 Slovakia 0

The Netherlands avoided a second-straight defeat by beating Slovakia 2-0 in an international friendly in Rotterdam on Wednesday.

After a loss to Bulgaria in an international friendly over the weekend, Bert Van Marwijk's men made no mistake in front of their home fans as an own goal from Kornel Salata and a strike from substitute Rafael Van der Vaart separated the teams.

Amid a raucous atmosphere at De Kuip, the hosts stormed into the lead after only eight minutes.

Ibrahim Afellay was the instigator, drilling a low centre across the face of goal that was inadvertently turned in by Salata.

The Netherlands could have added a second goal within minutes, but Robin van Persie fired off target after getting past Peter Pekarik.

Slovakia were handed a route back into the match just before the half-hour mark when Maarten Stekelenburg inexplicably elected to pick up a back pass from defender Gregory van der Wiel.

Miroslav Stoch lined up the set-piece from just outside the six-yard box, but could only blast harmlessly into the side-netting.

The Fenerbahce winger went even closer to an equaliser moments later, when his effort from a tight angle rebounded off the post, following a swift counter-attack led by Marek Hamsik.

Neither team seemed in any great hurry to force the issue coming out from the interval, with goalmouth action remaining elusive for much of the second half.

The hosts were handed a chance to break the monotony with just under 20 minutes to go, after Van der Vaart was felled on the edge of the area by Marek Cech.

The Tottenham midfielder stepped up to take the free-kick, but saw a wonderful effort smack back off the frame of the goal, with Jan Mucha completely beaten.

The Dutch went close again a few minutes later when Van der Wiel's delivery flashed dangerously across goal, and somehow ended up in the arms of Mucha after a touch by Afellay.

They would eventually get their second courtesy of a combination between two substitutes.

Klaas-Jan Huntelaar appeared to have been blocked off by a pair of Slovak defenders inside the area, but did just enough to tee up Van der Vaart for a straightforward drive into the far corner.

Van Marwijk's side round off their Euro 2012 preparations with their final friendly match against Northern Ireland on Saturday at the Amsterdam Arena.

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