Holland 3 Italy 0 NO COMMENT!

[Luca]

Goals from Ruud Van Nistelrooy and the outstanding Wesley Sneijder finally brought Euro 2008 bursting into life at the Wankdorf.


The men from the Bernabeu could not have delivered a more impressive “come and join us� message to the player for whom Madrid are ready to pay a world record £75million.


Marco van Basten’s Dutch side held off an Italian revival after the interval before once again breaking from their own box, spread-eagling the Azzurri defence and completing the rout with Gio van Bronckhorst heading the third 10 minutes from the end.

It was the first time Italy had lost by three goals at a major tournament since being beaten 4-1 by Brazil in the 1970 World Cup Final.


Boss Donadoni said: “We were too naive. We didn’t get into the right positions, we started badly and it only got worse. By the time we play Romania on Friday we must recover our strength, mentally and physically.�


In a display that thrilled the Holland fans — hoping for so much from the most naturally gifted players in Europe, yet expecting so little — there were also immense displays from Orlando Engelaar and Nigel de Jong as the Dutch turned the clock back to the golden days of Johan Cruyff and Johann Neeskens.


If anything, FC Twente’s Engelaar — as big and powerful as Patrick Vieira in his prime — was the pick of this mouthwatering new crop.


The Italians looked every day the oldest team in the tournament, ageing before our eyes as Holland presented their Championship credentials with their first victory over them in 30 years.


And when the Italians did mount a challenge after half-time, there was no way past keeper Edwin van der Sar.


At the end, the Holland fans could not contain themselves as they taunted the Italians with chants of “Always look on the bright side of life�.


There must have been 20,000 Dutchmen inside the 32,000- capacity stadium and another 5,000 outside celebrating.


And they had every right to toast a magnificent evening on which Holland gave the tournament the kiss of life it so desperately needed.


True to their Total Football heritage, the Dutch made all the running in the first half.


They swept the Italian Thirtysomethings aside with some wonderfully slick passing and quick movement.


Italy could have been on the scoresheet first when the unmarked Luca Toni could only head Gennaro Gattuso’s cross a yard past the far post.


That was the start of an horrendous night for the giant Bayern Munich targetman. The Dutch should have been ahead on 17 minutes when Dirk Kuyt threaded a lovely ball through the world champions’ defence.


Van Nistelrooy, in on goal, danced round Gigi Buffon and appeared to be taken down.


In his Manchester United striker days the striker would have gone to ground but this time he stayed on his feet only to be forced wide.


It was an enormous let-off for an Italian side forced onto the back foot by the sheer exuberance and power of the Dutch football.


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Yet when the Holland opener arrived after 25 minutes, it appeared so far offside even Mr Magoo would have spotted it.


Buffon battered out a cross as far as Van Bronckhorst who crashed a shot back into the Italian box.


Van Nistelrooy, a good two yards beyond the nearest Italian, then turned the ball past Buffon but Swedish referee Peter Frojdfeldt gave the goal.


Donadoni griped: “I’m not going to talk about the ref. You saw it, make up your own minds. Of course, it was offside.�


The Dutch now had a head of steam up and when Van Bronckhorst cleared a corner off the line after 31 minutes they swept forward again with Rafael van der Vaart finding the magnificent Van Bronckhorst on the left.


The former Arsenal man — when did he ever play like this at Highbury? — made ground before swinging an enormous cross over towards Kuyt.


A superbly-timed header from the Liverpool player took Gianluca Zambrotta out of the game and Sneijder appeared like a bat out of hell to beat Buffon at the near post.


Keeper Buffon then saved with his feet from the electric Van Nistelrooy.


Toni had two chances to pull one back after the break. First he sent a lob yards over the bar and then saw Van der Sar deny him with another fantastic save.


The dazzling Van Bronkhorst had the final word with 10 minutes to play.


After another surge down the left, the full-back set up the lively Kuyt.


His shot was saved well by Buffon but the striker recovered to deliver a pin-point cross for Van Bronckhorst, who had continued his run into the box, to nod in the third.


But, by then, it was all over bar the shouting. Which, as you can imagine, was due to go on for some time as the Dutch painted Berne Orange.


SUN RATINGS


HOLLAND: Van der Sar 8, Ooijer 7, Boulahrouz 7, (Heitinga 6), Mathijsen 8, Van Bronckhorst 9, Kuyt 8 (Afellay 7), De Jong 8, Van der Vaart 7, Engelaar 9, Sneijder 9, Van Nistelrooy 8 (Van Persie 7).


ITALY: Buffon 6, Panucci 7, Barzagli 5, Materazzi 5 (Grosso 6), Zambrotta 5, Ambrosini 5, Pirlo 5, Gattuso 5, Camoranesi 5 (Cassano 5), Toni 4, Di Natale 5 (Del Piero 6).

[cragglerock]

this is where it sucks being Down Under - we miss out on seeing all the great games live, like the World Cup and the Euro Cup, unless we're willing to sacrifice our sleep!!

good to see the Dutch give the Italians a nice old spanking.
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2009... new year, same dream... Bulldogs for the flag!

[billy_the_kid]

I honestly don't think Holland played that well, all of there goals were lucky counter attacking football. They never scored anything from well worked midfield play, were as we had plenty of chances for Del Piero & Di Natale along with others from well worked play.

Pirlo was unlucky with his set pieces, where he could of easily scored a brace from them. Van Der Sar pulled out a magnificant save, and Pirlo put one just wide when Van Der Sar was off his line.

Del Piero was the key to getting back into the match, as soon as he came on things changed. More opportunities opened up, with himself & Grosso having the best opportunities.

The good thing is things won't get worse from here, Toni won't waste chances like he did this morning again. That well worked lob through ball he would put a way everyday of the week, and i cann't see a player of his quality wasting them again.
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[Lisbon]

Holland's second goal was brilliant, a sublime end-to-end-move, clinically executed and finished. Actually, it's the kind of goal that Italy usually scores. Apparently Holland's first goal was legal, UEFA claims that because Panucci was beyond the goal line without permission from the referee, he must be counted as the second player between Van Nistelrooy and the goal line, it's as if he was inside the pitch.

I agree that Del Piero played very well. He always does. Some years ago there was an Italian player called Pietro Vierchowod, he played professionally from 1976 to 2000 and was in the world cup winning squad of 1982. He was called "Highlander", after the movie about immortal people, because he seemed to be able to go on playing forever. Del Piero is "Highlander II".

It now seems that France and Italy will be fighting each other for 2nd place in their group and that one of them will not make it past the first round. As Portugal always loses against both of them, I think that's very good news.

Speaking of Portugal, we played much better against Turkey than we did in the qualifying stages. I was lucky enough to be there in Geneva and it was a great game. Also, there are more than 150.000 Portuguese people living in Switzerland, so there was partying in the streets after the game for hours (great to have been a part of it - talk about a lump in the throat), not to mention thousands of Portuguese flags hanging from windows and balconies all over Geneva. After the game ended, when we Portuguese fans still in the stadium started chanting the famous "this s*it's all ours", the s*it in question being the ground and even the city of Geneva, we were just stating a fact.

Realistically, I don't think that Portugal has a good chance of winning, but I hope we play well and reach, at least, the quarter finals. Our emigrants deserve it. FORÇA PORTUGAL!!!!!
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