Argentina and Holland played out a disappointing goalless draw in their final Group C match in Frankfurt.
Despite the amount of talent on show in the Commerzbank-Arena, both sides were unable to unlock each other, as Argentina claimed top spot in the group on goal difference from the Dutch.
It means Argentina face Mexico in their round of 16 contest, while Holland have a tricky tie with Group D winners Portugal in the next phase.
With the Dutch already assured a place in the knockout stages, coach Marco van Basten made five changes to protect those players on yellow cards.
Arjen Robben, Mark van Bommel, Giovanni van Bronckhorst, Joris Mathijsen and Johnny Heitinga all started on the substitutes' bench, with Kew Jaliens, Tim de Cler, Rafael van der Vaart and striker Dirk Kuyt coming into the starting XI.
Khalid Boulahrouz, who was on a yellow card, was the fifth change for the Oranje.
Argentina boss Jose Pekerman gave starts to teenage starlet Lionel Messi and strike partner Carlos Tevez, as Hernan Crespo and Javier Saviola were not risked with their yellow cards.
Captain Juan Pablo Sorin was rested, while Leandro Cufre earned a start in the back-line for the South Americans.
There was plenty of anticipation ahead of Wednesday's contest, but the first half proved a bit of a disappointment to what might have been expected.
The Dutch started brightly with some assured passing play, with Argentina goalkeeper Roberto Abbondanzieri making an early save from a Robin van Persie free kick.
La Albicelestes found space to string passes together, with defender Boulahrouz doing ever so well to cut out a dangerous Messi through ball for Esteban Cambiasso on the edge of the Dutch box.
Argentina's ability to move the ball and interchange positions is one of their strong suits and from such a sequence, Tevez struck a left-footed shot wide of van der Sar's goal.
Holland's forays forward were not as frequent as their South American opponents, but Kuyt brought an important save out of Abbondanzieri after dispossessing Nicolas Burdisso from just outside Argentina's box.
Juan Roman Riquelme looked again to stamp his authority from his central midfield position, with the Villarreal man forcing van der Sar to punch a dangerous corner from the left over his crossbar.
He then created an even better opportunity with a low free kick that the sliding Boulahrouz knocked off his own bar after being under pressure from Tevez at the near post.
Maxi Rodriguez was excellent in the 6-0 win over Serbia & Montenegro and he looked to add to his goal tally with a fierce strike that flew just wide of van der Sar's goal from the edge of Holland's area.
The Atletico Madrid man then hit the side-netting moments later after Messi brilliantly picked out his run into the Dutch box with an exquisite pass off the outside of his left foot.
In fact, the latter stages of the half were a bit flat, with Roberto Ayala making an important block from Wesley Sneijder's strike, while Messi's run and shot forced a good save from van der Sar, as it remained goalless at the break.
The second half saw both sides try in vain to find the opening goal, with Javier Mascherano shooting high and wide for Argentina before van Persie struck a free kick over Abbondanzieri's crossbar.
Argentina's neat passing continued to carve out chances and Riquelme had a goal-bound effort miss the far post after Messi played him in before Rodriguez struck a shot over the bar moments later.
Then van Basten made a bold move by taking off the ineffective Ruud van Nistelrooy and replacing him with Ajax youngster Ryan Babel, as he looked to impose more threat on Argentina's back-line.
However, the Oranje failed to make Abbondanzieri work from an indirect free kick, as van der Vaart struck his low effort well wide.
The Boca Juniors custodian came to the rescue of Argentina moments later, as he alertly blocked Philip Cocu's close-range shot after Gabriel Milito lost a challenge for the ball with van der Vaart in the box.
Cocu and Kuyt were then wide of the mark with further efforts, as Holland tried to apply more pressure, while Tevez kept van der Sar on his toes with a deflected strike.
With the second round just around the corner, Pekerman replaced Messi and Riquelme with Julio Cruz and Pablo Aimar before van der Vaart missed the target again with a curling free kick.
Tevez had the last chance of the match in the two minutes of injury time with a volleyed effort going just wide of van der Sar's goal.
For all the attacking endeavour from both sides, it was both sets of defenders that shined in the end, as jeers were heard from stands at the final whistle.
Despite the amount of talent on show in the Commerzbank-Arena, both sides were unable to unlock each other, as Argentina claimed top spot in the group on goal difference from the Dutch.
It means Argentina face Mexico in their round of 16 contest, while Holland have a tricky tie with Group D winners Portugal in the next phase.
With the Dutch already assured a place in the knockout stages, coach Marco van Basten made five changes to protect those players on yellow cards.
Arjen Robben, Mark van Bommel, Giovanni van Bronckhorst, Joris Mathijsen and Johnny Heitinga all started on the substitutes' bench, with Kew Jaliens, Tim de Cler, Rafael van der Vaart and striker Dirk Kuyt coming into the starting XI.
Khalid Boulahrouz, who was on a yellow card, was the fifth change for the Oranje.
Argentina boss Jose Pekerman gave starts to teenage starlet Lionel Messi and strike partner Carlos Tevez, as Hernan Crespo and Javier Saviola were not risked with their yellow cards.
Captain Juan Pablo Sorin was rested, while Leandro Cufre earned a start in the back-line for the South Americans.
There was plenty of anticipation ahead of Wednesday's contest, but the first half proved a bit of a disappointment to what might have been expected.
The Dutch started brightly with some assured passing play, with Argentina goalkeeper Roberto Abbondanzieri making an early save from a Robin van Persie free kick.
La Albicelestes found space to string passes together, with defender Boulahrouz doing ever so well to cut out a dangerous Messi through ball for Esteban Cambiasso on the edge of the Dutch box.
Argentina's ability to move the ball and interchange positions is one of their strong suits and from such a sequence, Tevez struck a left-footed shot wide of van der Sar's goal.
Holland's forays forward were not as frequent as their South American opponents, but Kuyt brought an important save out of Abbondanzieri after dispossessing Nicolas Burdisso from just outside Argentina's box.
Juan Roman Riquelme looked again to stamp his authority from his central midfield position, with the Villarreal man forcing van der Sar to punch a dangerous corner from the left over his crossbar.
He then created an even better opportunity with a low free kick that the sliding Boulahrouz knocked off his own bar after being under pressure from Tevez at the near post.
Maxi Rodriguez was excellent in the 6-0 win over Serbia & Montenegro and he looked to add to his goal tally with a fierce strike that flew just wide of van der Sar's goal from the edge of Holland's area.
The Atletico Madrid man then hit the side-netting moments later after Messi brilliantly picked out his run into the Dutch box with an exquisite pass off the outside of his left foot.
In fact, the latter stages of the half were a bit flat, with Roberto Ayala making an important block from Wesley Sneijder's strike, while Messi's run and shot forced a good save from van der Sar, as it remained goalless at the break.
The second half saw both sides try in vain to find the opening goal, with Javier Mascherano shooting high and wide for Argentina before van Persie struck a free kick over Abbondanzieri's crossbar.
Argentina's neat passing continued to carve out chances and Riquelme had a goal-bound effort miss the far post after Messi played him in before Rodriguez struck a shot over the bar moments later.
Then van Basten made a bold move by taking off the ineffective Ruud van Nistelrooy and replacing him with Ajax youngster Ryan Babel, as he looked to impose more threat on Argentina's back-line.
However, the Oranje failed to make Abbondanzieri work from an indirect free kick, as van der Vaart struck his low effort well wide.
The Boca Juniors custodian came to the rescue of Argentina moments later, as he alertly blocked Philip Cocu's close-range shot after Gabriel Milito lost a challenge for the ball with van der Vaart in the box.
Cocu and Kuyt were then wide of the mark with further efforts, as Holland tried to apply more pressure, while Tevez kept van der Sar on his toes with a deflected strike.
With the second round just around the corner, Pekerman replaced Messi and Riquelme with Julio Cruz and Pablo Aimar before van der Vaart missed the target again with a curling free kick.
Tevez had the last chance of the match in the two minutes of injury time with a volleyed effort going just wide of van der Sar's goal.
For all the attacking endeavour from both sides, it was both sets of defenders that shined in the end, as jeers were heard from stands at the final whistle.
