Serbia & Montenegro 0 Holland 1: Chelsea's Arjen Robben capped a superb personal performance with the only goal of the game as Holland got their Group C campaign off to a winning start by beating Serbia & Montenegro 1-0 in Leipzig.

Robben ended a fine Dutch move with a cool finish on 18 minutes to give Marco van Basten's side all three points.

Serbia & Montenegro, playing in their first and last finals as a unified nation, made a bright start with Pedrag Djordjevic dancing his way down the left and crossing for the lurking Savo Milosevic, who was only denied by some desperate Dutch defending.

The former Aston Villa striker then wasted another chance when given an opening on goal but he could only fire weakly at Edwin van der Sar.

But Holland were not without chances of their own and after coming close with a few early looping headers, it was no surprise when they took an 18th-minute lead.

Robben it was who beat the offside trap to run on to Robin van Persie's volleyed pass and finish with aplomb as Dragoslav Jevric came out to meet him.

Robben had chances to double his tally, most notably when Jevric dived full length to block his thumping strike from the inside-left channel, and then again when he cut inside and curled a shot inches past the far post with his right foot.

Serbia & Montenegro made a lively start to the second half and enjoyed far more possession with the Dutch surviving an early handball appeal before Dejan Stankovic curled a free-kick just over the bar.

As play switched down the other end, Wesley Sneijder's curling shot was saved by Jevric, who then reacted quickly to thwart Ruud van Nistelrooy's backheeled effort.

Serbia continued to up the tempo with Ognjen Koroman missing the chance to pull the trigger when well placed in the box.

Holland then came within a whisker of doubling their lead when van Persie fizzed a free-kick inches past the far post from the right edge of the area with Dirk Kuyt lurking.

But despite more late pressure, Robben's early goal proved enough as Holland moved level on points with Argentina at the top of Group C.