By Andrew Dampf
Associated Press
JOHANNESBURG — The stunned looks and the tears told the story — for both teams.
For defending champion Italy, the ignominy of being sent out of the World Cup in the first round sank in immediately.
"Tonight," midfielder Gennaro Gattuso said, "we touched rock bottom."
For Slovakia, which beat the Azzurri 3-2 Thursday to advance, well, the celebrating might not stop before Monday's second-round game.
"We've shown that we're not here for a holiday," said Slovakia forward Erik Jendrisek.
The party ended in stunning fashion for four-time champion Italy, which finished last in an opening-round group for the first time.
"I take full responsibility," said coach Marcello Lippi, who led the Azzurri to the 2006 championship. "If the squad went out with fear in their legs and hearts it means the coach didn't prepare the match well tactically or psychologically."
For the third consecutive game, the Azzurri allowed an early goal and this time they never recovered.
Robert Vittek put Slovakia ahead in the 25th minute, taking advantage of an errant pass from midfielder Daniele De Rossi. Vittek doubled the lead from close range in the 73rd following a corner kick.
Antonio Di Natale scored for Italy in the 81st minute, but Kamil Kopunek ended Italy's chances eight minutes later, even though Fabio Quagliarella scored in injury time for Italy.
"We didn't win a game and it's everyone's fault," playmaker Andrea Pirlo said. "We're a team and we've got to assume responsibility all together."
It was Italy's first loss at the World Cup since allowing a golden goal to South Korea in the second round in 2002. And it marked the end of an era for Italy captain Fabio Cannavaro and Gattuso, who already announced their retirement from the national team after the tournament. Lippi is also moving on, with Cesare Prandelli already chosen as his successor.
"We were a disappointment and everyone saw it," regular goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon said. "The difference between 2006 and 2010 is that there are no longer enough players like (Francesco) Totti and Alessandro (Del Piero). He (Prandelli) will have to start a new cycle and I hope he's got his ideas in order, because the current situation of Italian football isn't great."
Never have the previous World Cup finalists both failed to advance in the next tournament when both qualified. France, which lost to Italy on penalty kicks for the 2006 title, went out earlier this week in Group A.
Many of the Slovak players were in tears at the end of the match, and the reserves gathered in a circle, jumping up and down in celebration in Slovakia's first World Cup for as an independent nation.
PARAGUAY 0, NEW ZEALAND 0: At Polokwane, South Africa, Paraguay was held to an uneventful 0-0 draw by New Zealand, but still won its World Cup group and moved into the round of 16.
The Paraguayans, who also reached the second round at the World Cup in 1986, 1998 and 2002, continued South America's dominance of the tournament. The continent's teams have 10 wins, no losses and three draws at the World Cup.
Paraguay finished with five points in Group F and plays Japan on Tuesday in Pretoria.
NETHERLANDS 2, CAMEROON 1: At Cape Town, South Africa, The Netherlands produced its first goals of flair and finesse to beat Cameroon and set up a second-round match with Slovakia.
Robin Van Persie finished off an end-to-end move in the 36th minute, and substitute Arjen Robben sent a shot against the post in the 83rd that Klaas Jan Huntelaar only had to slide in for the winner.
The Dutch won Group E with three victories and will next face Slovakia in Durban. Cameroon lost all three of its matches.
JAPAN 3, DENMARK 1: At Rustenberg, South Africa, spectacular first-half goals by Keisuke Honda and Yusuhito Endo helped lift Japan, sending the Japanese into the round of 16 at the World Cup.
The Danes, who replied in the 81st when Jon Dahl Tomasson tapped in the rebound from his own penalty kick, failed to advance from the group stage for the first time in four World Cup appearances.
Shinji Okazaki scored an insurance goal in the 87th minute for the Japanese.