ROTTERDAM, Netherlands -- Robin van Persie scored his second goal in as many pre-World Cup friendlies as the Netherlands beat Ghana 1-0 on Saturday. Steve Young 49ers Jersey . On the day Louis van Gaal announced his final 23-man squad for Brazil, the Netherlands coach looked to have picked his strongest side for the match at Feyenoords De Kuip stadium, with the vastly experienced striking partnership of Van Persie and Arjen Robben fed by playmaker Wesley Sneijder. It was that trio who teamed up to unlock the Ghana defence in just the fifth minute. Sneijder played a one-two with Robben and then cut back the ball past the advancing goalkeeper to Van Persie who only had to tap into the open goal for his 43rd international goal. Robben should have doubled the lead seven minutes later but scuffed a close-range shot over the bar after a cross from left back Daley Blind set him free in front of goal at the end of a flowing attack. The Bayern Munich winger squandered another great chance when goalkeeper Adam Kwarasey blocked his shot when Robben was again on his own in front of goal after a cross from right back Daryl Janmaat. "I should have scored two. Im saving them up," Robben said. Both final passes came from backs functioning almost as wingers in Van Gaals new 5-3-2 formation. The defenders -- seen by many as the teams Achilles heel -- also ensured Jasper Cillessen kept a clean sheet. "In the second half, we created less but we gave away absolutely nothing," Van Gaal said. Ghana, which has a tough draw in Brazil together with Germany, Portugal and the United States in Group G, never looked like breaking down the Dutch back five. Coach James Kwesi Appiahs team stayed in the game thanks to Robbens misses and aggressive tackling and pressure that broke up the fluency of Dutch build-up play. "Ghana pinned us back and that makes it difficult," Van Gaal said. But he expects the attacking fluency to come as the squad continues to train together. "It will get better," Van Gaal said. "Weve only just started." The Netherlands plays Wales on Wednesday in Amsterdam and flies to Rio de Janeiro the following day. It is in Group B with Spain, Chile and Australia. Tom Rathman Womens Jersey .C. -- The Carolina Panthers announced Thursday theyve signed free agent wide receiver Jerricho Cotchery to a two-year contract, helping rebuild a depleted wide receiving corps. Custom San Francisco 49ers Jerseys . This week, they discuss the NCAAs revenue sharing, Don Zimmer, soccer language and Super Bowl 50. http://www.49ersrookiestore.com/49ers-Terrell-Owens-Jersey/ .C. -- Glenn Howard needed an extra end to move into the Masters Grand Slam of Curling final.LONDON - Olivier Giroud scored in the first half to give Arsenal a 1-0 win over West Bromwich Albion in the Premier League on Sunday, leaving the Baggies uncertain of their status in the top flight. Giroud headed home at the near post in the 14th minute, getting in front of Craig Dawson and shrugging off the defenders attempts to hold him back as Santi Cazorla delivered a corner. It was the strikers 22nd goal in all competitions this season. Arsenal controlled the game from there, getting into a quick passing rhythm and dominating possession, although it struggled to create serious scoring chances. West Brom resorted to long-range efforts, with midfielder James Morrison launching a 40-yard shot after spotting Arsenal goalkeeper Wojciech Szczesny off his line in the first half, but the ball went well wide. Graham Dorrans shot from about 20 yards came closer, forcing a reaction save from Szczesny in the 32nd. For Arsenal, the match held little significance because the club had already secured at least a fourth-place finish and a 17th consecutive season of Champions League football after Evertons loss to Manchester City on Saturday. In the last home game of the season, it felt like the home crowd was already looking forward to the summer, batting around a beach ball in the first half. "We played well," Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger said. "They had a few chances as well. We wanted to finish with a win and we did it. Maybe it was a bit subdued because we knew beforehand we would remain in the top four." Mathematically, West Brom still faces the threat of going down, sitting four points above the bottom three. But the Baggies will be out of danger if Norwich loses too Chelsea at Stamford Bridge later Sunday. Jimmy Garoppolo 49ers Jersey. Cardiff and Fulham have already been relegated to the League Championship for next season. West Brom manager Pepe Mel said he was uncertain of his own future after signing an 18-month contract with the club in January. He said 13 players are out of contract this summer, and he needs to hold talks with club officials to see if they share a similar vision for the club going forward. The fans have taken a liking to him, waving Spanish flags in the away end with messages urging him to stay. "I have a meeting with the chairman," he said. "I will express what I want." Arsenal still has one more match to play in north London — the FA Cup final against Hull at Wembley Stadium on May 17. A win for Arsenal would mean a first trophy in nine years after failing to win silverware since lifting the 2005 FA Cup. After the final whistle Sunday, the Arsenal players — many of them carrying their children — walked around the pitch in a lap of appreciation. The overwhelming chant from fans was "Bacary Sagna, we want you to stay," after recent reports linked the right back with a move to Manchester City. Wenger said he wants Sagna and backup goalkeeper Lukasz Fabianski to stay, with both players out of contract after the season. Abou Diaby returned to the squad for the first time in more than a year after recovering from a serious knee injury but was an unused substitute. Midfielder Aaron Ramsey missed out with a minor thigh problem. Arsenals last league match is away to Norwich on May 11, while West Brom has two fixtures left: away to Sunderland on May 7 and home to Stoke on May 11. ' ' '