Ricardo Lavople is clearly not unhappy about the first half performance - Perez and Zinha are on for Franco and Torrado.

Borgetti is on the limp and Fonseca comes in as Lavolpe does a Mourinho and uses his entire bench before an hour on the clock.

Coming up to the hour mark and Mexico are beginning to pin Iran back. It occurs to me that not only are the officials doing a fine job in the games so far but the by in large the players have also been on their best behaviour.

Mexico is getting better width this half as Iran's defenders pinch in to support the centre backs.

Now here is an interesting piece from the BBC. The story is authored by Andrew Jennings who famously wrote Lords of the Rings an investigation into IOC corruption. Jennings has just a published "Foul " that suggests that similar hanky-panky is also found within FIFA.

By the way half time - Mexico 1-1 Iran.

Iran conceed an unnecessary free kick about seven yards from the cornner flag. Pardo takes it, Franco finds himself in more space than Captain Kirk and flicks the ball towards the goal where Bravo is Omar on the spot and nudges it home.

We have just seen a TV shot from Mexico City and it safe to say that the crowd is reasonably happy with the goal.

Six minutes later and this one is tied up. A corner is horribly misplayed by the Oswaldo Sanchez and defender Golmohammadi scores only his 4th international goal after prodding home a loose ball.

Nether defense is looking terribly comfortable and unless they settle down we could have a few goals here.

Mexico will try to establish their short passing game and Iran will try to - well to be honest we don't really know what they will try.

First two chances to Iran - first across the goal and then a great save by Sanchez from a superb downward header.

With close to 15 minutes gone Iran is looking the more dangerous side. I think the game will start to come back to Mexico and their passing game wil start moving the Iranian defenders around a bit.  

Gerardo Torrado picks up a booking from Italian referee Rosetti. What has he done with his hair? The last time I say him play he was almost shaved clean - now he's got Shirley Temple curls. Torrado not Rosetti - who seems to have sensible hair.

EVDS is hurting and everytime the ball goes to him it is a potential problem. However he does well to grab a cross and sets up a quick attack which ends with Robben firing wide.

Robben flys down the left side and is body checked just outside the penalty area. Gavrancic yellow card and free kick to the Dutch but nothing comes of it. We are now into injury time.

Whistle goes and Holland starts with a win. The Dutch were clearly the better team while S&M looked like a team better equipped to grind out a scoreless tie than to chase a game after going a goal down.

Man of the Match - Arjen Robben.