LEIPZIG, Jun 11 (SW) - A solitary goal and a brilliant performance by Arjen Robben lifted the Netherlands to a 1-0 victory over Serbia & Montenegro in their opening World Cup Group C match on Sunday.

Early on, the tempo favored the Dutch as they controlled the ball well, most of the time in the attacking half of the pitch with the Serbs resorting to long balls forward for either Mateja Kezman or Savo Milosevic.

Dutch hearts, though, were in their throats as Nenad Djordjevic did well to fight his win into the Netherlands penalty area and sent in towards goal, but Milosevic's shot was blocked and the danger was cleared.

Another strong run, this time by Milosevic, offered the captain a chance to test goalkeeper Edwin van der Sar, but the ball ended up being fired right at the Manchester United backstop.

0-1 Arjen Robben 18th minute
That period of good play by the Serbs, though, came to a grinding halt when Robin van Persie played a perfect ball through onto the run of Arjen Robben and the Chelsea winger made no mistake slotting the ball past Dragoslav Jevric for a 1-0 lead.

Robben, inspired by his opening goal, made a bid for a second just four minutes later when a ball was deflected in his direction. He unleashed a left-footed drive, but Jevric was able to make the save.

Just after the half-hour, the teams traded efforts as van Persie had a header saved by Jevric on one end, and Milosevic had a powerful drive stopped by van der Sar on the other.

Robben had a hand in nearly giving the Dutch another one in the 37th minute when he hit a perfect right-footed cross toward the far post for Ruud van Nistelrooy, but the striker was just a step late getting there.

Just as the first half winded down, Ognjen Koroman was brought on as a sub and looked electric early, nearly giving the Serbs and equalizer when he hit a left-footed shot just high before the whistle.

The Serbs looked increasingly dangerous as Predrag Djordjevic constantly sparked attacks in midfield early on in the second half, but the first chance went to Holland off of a corner kick on the hour mark as van Nistelrooy was denied at the near post by Jevric.

Then, just after the Serbs had an appeal for handball in the area turned down as André Ooijer got in the way of a Mateja Kezman cross, Stankovic took a free kick from 20 yards out that sailed high.

Van der Sar then had to be on his toes in the 71st minute as the explosive Koroman fired a low drive from the right channel, but the keeper made the save low to his left.

A cross into the area seven minutes later presented Serbia & Montenegro another good chance, but Koroman attempted a flick-on rather than a shot, and no one was able to receive it.

Van Persie almost put the game away with a free kick that went through the area untouched, and Robben had a shot go wide late on.