Netherlands

www.netherlands.com

World Ranking 10

Squad

Team Review

Holland have, in recent years been underachieving on the international stage and the previous golden age of stars such as Seedorf, Davids and Bergkamp has well and truly gone. There is some light at the end of the tunnel with some young hopefuls breaking into the team for example Ryan Babel and Jan van Huntelaar who could come of age at this tournament and breathe life into the Dutch camp. I can see Holland reaching either the quarters or semis but in my view I don’t think they have the experience to go all the way.

Star Man

Wesley Sneijder, has been instrumental in Real Madrid’s push for a successive La Liga title this year and has weighed in with some great displays and superb goals not to mention his dead ball technique which is up there with the best.

He is that good at set pieces that Bernt Schuster has given him the duty of taking all set pieces for Madrid which is quite a feat when considering some of the talented players they have within their squad. Marco van Basten will be hoping he can re create his driving displays into the tournament and spur on Holland in the group of death.

Also check out who we think will be the 'players to watch' in the tournament

Tournament History

Quarter Finals

	Q.Final	Time	Home		Away	Stadium
	3	19:45	Netherlands	1 - 3(aet)	Russia	Basel St. Jakob-Park

Match Reports

Netherlands 3 - 0 Italy

(Van Nistelrooy 26, Sneijder 31, Van Bronckhorst 79)

This game was expected to be the best out of all the games that have taken place this tournament and it didn’t disappoint as within minutes the game was being played at a blistering pace with Holland looking the stronger more fluid team this eventually paid off in the 26th minute when thanks to a slightly dodgy offside decision Van Nistelrooy beat the offside trap to tap home a goal that should never have stood.

Holland never looked back after that as they upped the tempo once more causing the Aging Italian team to look shaky without their talisman Cannavaro holding the team together. The next goal was to be one of the best team goals I have seen at a European championship, it started with a Pirlo corner which was cleared off the line by Van Bronckhorst who then played it out to Sniejder who looked up to see van Bronckhorst making a 80 yard dash toward the opposing goal, Sneijder duly played a perfectly weighted ball into Van Bronckhorst who in turn played a brilliant cross field pass to Kuyt who headed it back across goal which was met by a sublime finish from Sniejder looped it over the outstretched Buffon into the top right hand corner. The goal completely knocked the stuffing out of Italy who after that new their chances of coming back were slim.

Italy did make a surge toward the end but with the Italians pouring forward it was inevitable that they were going to leave gaps at the back which the Dutch could take advantage of and in the 80th minute Van Bronckhorst did just that capitalising on the Italians lack defensive cover after a brilliant save from Van Der Sar he then played it out to Van Persie who played in Kuyt who’s first effort rebounded off a defender but he then had the ability to head it back across to Van Bronkhorst who slotted home the winner.
The game was a brilliant spectacle and a reminder to us all that not all international football is cagey and negative as proved by the marauding Dutch team who in actual fact made a mockery out of the reigning world champions.

Netherlands 4 - 1 France

(Kuyt 9, Van Persie 59, Robben 72, Sneijder 90+2) (Henry 30)

Marco Van Basten's faith in his country's footballing traditions brought reward. The Dutch took the tournament by storm with this performance scoring 4 past a fancied French team and only letting in 1 solitary goal.

The first goal was scored by Liverpool front man Dirk Kuyt, the second, Arsenal's Robin Van Persie with his first touch off the bench, and the third was scored by former Chelsea flier Arjen Robben. His magnificent Real Madrid team-mate Wesley Sneijder illuminated an evening of captivating football by capping off a brilliant display with the fourth goal which he took very well.Not bad for Holland’s first group game. Frances conciliation goal was scored by the out of sorts Thierry Henry who has not been in great form this season for Barcelona and has carried it on during this tournament.

Netherlands 2 - 0 Romania

(Huntelaar 54, Van Persie 87)

The match was of little significance to the Dutch however on the other hand it meant the difference between going home and qualification for the Romanians who need results elsewhere to go their way as well as a win here to book their place in the last eight.

The game started brightly with both teams going for it, but Victor Piţurcă's side were always on the back foot as the rampant second string Dutch side were gaining in confidence an were creating decent chances for Robben and Huntelaar but both went just wide. At half time the score was level at 0-0.

The second half started off how the first had finished with the Dutch side passing fluently around the pitch with Engelaar controlling the middle of the park. The Netherlands were not held entirely in check, as Van Persie headed wide from an Engelaar cross.

Romania then threatened for the first time, with Adrian Mutu collecting a throw-in and twisting and turning to work space only to pull his shot across the face of goal. Then the Dutch went up a gear a showed why they are now tournament favourites with Huntelaar not needing another chance to prove what a top marksmen he is finishing expertly from an Affelay cross. Robin Van Persie then put the game beyond the reach of the Romanians by putting away his second of the tournament and it was to be the goal that knocked the Romanians out of the tournament.

Quarter Final

Netherlands 1 - 3(aet) Russia

(Van Nisterooy 86) (Pavlyuchenko 56, Torbinski 112, Arshavin 116)

The game was superb end to end stuff with both teams playing attacking positive football but it looked as though the Dutch were the superior team in the opening first half but they failed to convert any chances they made for themselves as for the Russians they too didn’t manage to finish off the chances they fashioned.

The second half was again played at a brilliant pace with the Russians this time looking the more dangerous and within 10 minutes took the lead through Pavlyuchenko after some brilliant work from Arshavin to set him up. The game was not finished there though as both teams looked to create other chances as the Dutch were trying with all their might to get one back while the Russian were looking to finish their counterparts off. The chance fell to whom the Russians would have least liked it to come to, the deadly van Nistelrooy who took it well enough which gave the Dutch the lifeline they needed to take the game into extra time.

The first half of extra time trundled by with both teams not creating a lot but once the second half had started both teams realised they didn’t want the game to be finished by penalties and it was the Russians who looked the more likely to score with the trickery of Arshavin in the team and this was the case as in the 112th minute Arshavin set up Torbinski to slide the ball home and dash the Dutch fans and players hopes of getting further than this game. That goal really took it out of the Dutch who fell to pieces afterwards and were made to pay as Arshavin put the game beyond any doubt by capping off his man of the match display with a well taken goal that really stuck the knife in and sent the Dutch packing.