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Striker Robin van Persie and manager Bert van Marwijk have played down their apparent spat during Holland's victory over Slovakia in the last 16 of the World Cup.
The Dutch, who have been criticised for failing to hit top form, progressed to an appealing quarter-final against Brazil courtesy of a 2-1 victory over the Slovaks on Monday afternoon.
But Van Persie was substituted in the 80th minute of the Port Elizabeth match having failed to add to his solitary goal at this summer's finals.
The Arsenal striker remonstrated with Van Marwijk regarding his early exit, but he has since insisted the act was nothing personal and was only due to frustration.
"I wanted to finish the game. I thought they would take risks in the last 10 minutes and I wanted to exploit that," said Van Persie.
Shock
"I could see spaces opening up and I wanted to use them, so I was a bit shocked when I had to go off."
Van Marwijk said: "I shook his hand and understood that he was disappointed, that's not a bad thing. Everyone wants to play the whole game."
Van Persie's one goal to date in South Africa came in Holland's 2-1 win over Cameroon in Group E and he confesses his form is playing on his mind.
"I am not scoring and that eats away at me, at every striker, I think," he added. "I've had a few small chances. I just want to score.
"I'm doing my absolute best, I can't do more than that. I desperately want to score and give assists but it didn't work out for me (against Slovakia)."
www.skysports.com
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