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Tuesday, June 27, 2006Van Basten directs anger at refree Holland coach Marco van Basten was critical of Russian referee Valentin Ivanov after his side were knocked out of the World Cup 1-0 by Portugal. "It is a pity the referee made a mess of this game," reflected Van Basten. The Dutch finished the second round tie with nine men in a match that featured 16 yellow cards and four red. The number of bookings equalled the World Cup record which was set in 2002 when Germany played Cameroon. The four dismissals set a new tournament benchmark, eclipsing the three sendings off witnessed in the matches between USA and Italy (2006), Denmark and South Africa (1998), Brazil and Hungary (1954) and Brazil and Czechoslovakia (1938). It was Van Basten's first competitive defeat as Dutch coach and leaves Holland still waiting for their first win against Portugal since 1991. The coach added: "It was an open and very spectacular game but we could not score a goal. I think in the second half we only played 20 or 25 minutes of football. There was little playing time with all the injuries and the players going down all over the place. What is also regrettable is that the refereeing has such an influence on such an important match. They stopped the game from being a pretty spectacle." The Dutch had 22 shots on goal, eight on target, and captain Edwin van der Sar was frustrated by the number of chances that his strikers wasted. "The Portuguese had the smarter team," the goalkeeper said. "Our missed opportunities made the difference. Falling a goal behind was no problem but then you have to score the first chance you get and that one we missed. And at the end when we played 10 against nine we didn't get the ball where it should be." 
Portugal 1-0 Holland Portugal booked their place in the last eight of the World Cup and a meeting with England on Saturday after beating Holland in a stormy encounter. Both teams finished the game with nine men after a game which equalled the World Cup record for bookings - 16 - and broke the record for red cards. Deco and Costinha were dismissed for Portugal, while Khalid Boulahrouz and Gio van Bronkhorst saw red for Holland. Maniche scored the only goal, firing into the top corner after 23 minutes. Luiz Felipe Scolari's side will now play England on Saturday 1 July in Gelsenkirchen. Russian referee Valentin Ivanov set the tone for his performance by booking players from the start for late tackles that he could have given free-kicks for. Costinha was the first to go, his first offence a sliding foul on Philip Cocu and his second a blatant handball, leaving Ivanov with little choice. Portugal should have been reduced to nine when Figo was only booked for headbutting Van Bommel, who took his time before falling to the floor. Soon after Figo was at it again. This time it was his turn to fake serious injury as he tangled with Boulahrouz, who was handed a second booking and dismissed. There was more action in the referee's notebook than on the pitch. Deco was booked for a flying foul on Johnny Heitinga and he was off soon after, shown a second yellow for refusing to hand the ball back to Holland as Ivanov continued to throw cards around like confetti. The bookings prevented a young and inexperienced Holland side from gaining any sort of momentum as they chased the game. Their miserable evening was compounded in the fourth minute of stoppage time when Van Bronckhorst was shown a second yellow for a minor foul. Yet they had started so brightly, keen to test Ricardo from range as Mark van Bommel and Robin van Persie went close in the early stages. From being in control the Dutch seemed to switch off - and their lapse in concentration invited pressure that cost them a goal. Deco found space down the right and his cross was laid off by Pauleta to Maniche, who shimmied to create room and hammered the ball into the top corner from 16 yards. Maniche blasted over as Portugal poured forward but their plans took a turn for the worse when Cristiano Ronaldo limped off with an injured thigh after half an hour. The Dutch seemed to gain encouragement from this and Van Persie twisted and turned sublimely in the Portugal box before toe-poking wide from an acute angle. Costinha's dismissal forced Scolari into a change at the break but it was a surprising decision to take off Pauleta and play Luis Figo as the lone striker in a 4-4-1 formation. They were nearly pegged back immediately but Cocu fluffed his lines, slamming against the underside of the bar from eight yards after Nuno Valente's poor control. Ricardo tipped a Van Bommel drive round the post before the keeper did well to parry a Wesley Sneijder shot from distance, but Holland never seriously looked like forcing extra-time. It was Marco van Basten's first competitive defeat as Dutch coach and leaves Holland still waiting for their first win against Portugal since 1991. As for Scolari, the Brazilian can look forward to yet another finals meeting with Sven-Goran Eriksson - his teams put England out of the 2002 World Cup and Euro 2004.
Friday, June 23, 2006Holland 0-0 Argentina World Cup heavyweights Argentina and Holland played out a goalless draw in a keenly fought contest in Frankfurt. Argentina came closest to scoring when Dutch defender Khalid Boulahrouz deflected a Juan Roman Riquelme free-kick on to the post. Dutch striker Dirk Kuyt tested Roberto Abbondanzieri while Philip Cocu also forced the keeper to tip over. Argentina top Group C and will play Mexico in the last 16 on Saturday while the Dutch face Portugal on Sunday. The winner of the match between Holland and Portugal will face England in the quarter-final should Sven-Goran Eriksson's men defeat Ecuador. Both teams will undoubtedly be on better form for their knockout ties after leaving out several of their key players for what was essentially a dead rubber. The Dutch were without the likes of Mark van Bommel, Giovanni van Bronckhorst and star man Arjen Robben, while Argentina had chosen to leave out their first-choice attacking duo, Hernan Crespo and Javier Saviola. Those who came in did not let their respective sides down. Two such players were Dutch defenders Tim de Cler and Boulahrouz who harried and hassled forwards Lionel Messi and Carlos Tevez and rarely afforded them space in which to cause the kind of havoc that resulted in Serbia and Montenegro's 6-0 thrashing. When Argentina were allowed a yard of space, more often than not playmaker Riquelme took advantage. He came close to scoring on a couple of occasions, from a direct corner in the first half and with a low drive in the second, but it was his ability from set-pieces and vision to pick out a team-mate with a killer pass that made him stand out. His delivery was certainly exceptional, forcing Edwin van der Sar to tip over from a wicked corner and then making Boulahrouz deflect his low driving free-kick on to the post. One player who made a case for a start against Mexico was Carlos Tevez. The bulldog forward bullied the Dutch defence all night both on the wing and through the centre, although his one and only clear chance came in the second half when his fierce 20-yard drive was parried by Holland's Manchester United keeper. The Dutch were less pretty in their attacking play, but the makeshift side seemed more content with keeping the Argentines at bay. They were limited to a handful of chances. The best fell to Feyenoord striker Dirk Kuyt, who tested goalkeeper Roberto Abbondanzieri with a stinging effort in the first half and then Philip Cocu whose shot from a tight angle was tipped over by the Argentina shotstopper.
Saturday, June 17, 2006Holland 2-1 Ivory Coast Holland sealed a World Cup second-round berth after repelling a brave fightback by Ivory Coast in Stuttgart. The Dutch went ahead with a stunning free-kick from Robin van Persie on 23 minutes before Ruud van Nistelrooy hit a sweet second four minutes later. Bakari Kone pulled one back for the Ivorians when he smashed home from 25 yards after a powerful run. But the Africans bowed out of the tournament as Holland held on for their second Group C victory. The victory stretched Holland's run to 14 competitive matches unbeaten and sent a defiant message to group rivals Argentina who had emphatically despatched Serbia and Montenegro 6-0 earlier in the day. Holland dominated the early exchanges and created the first real chance after five minutes when Mark van Bommel's teasing cross from the right flashed across the goal and just eluded Manchester United striker Van Nistelrooy. But they survived a penalty appeal after 12 minutes when Arsenal's Emmanuel Eboue looked to be hauled down by Giovanni van Bronckhorst although the Ivorians' frantic appeals were ignored by Colombian referee Oscar Ruiz. The 31-year-old Van Bronckhorst, a midfielder by trade, was clearly marked out as the possible weak link in the Dutch defence and constantly had his hands full with Arouna Kone hot on his heels. But Ivory Coast were suddenly stopped in their tracks when the Dutch eventually made the vital breakthrough. Van Persie was hacked down by his Arsenal team-mate Kolo Toure on the edge of the box and stepped up himself to curl home a sublime left-footed free-kick which had goalkeeper Jean-Jacques Tizie clutching thin air. And the Dutch tightened their grip on the game with a clinical second goal after 27 minutes. Arjen Robben, Serbia and Montenegro's tormentor-in-chief in Holland's 1-0 victory on Sunday, surged forward on the left flank and played in Mark van Bommel. Van Bommel worked it back to the Chelsea man, who cleverly threaded it through for Van Nistelrooy to lash home his first goal of the tournament. Yet, just when it seemed Holland would start walking away with the match, the Ivorians struck back in dramatic fashion on 38 minutes. Kone waltzed past two Dutch defenders before unleashing a stunning drive that flew into Edwin van der Sar's top corner - incredibly the first goal in competitive internationals the Manchester United stopper has conceded since October 2004. The Dutch took the initiative after the break and Van Nistelrooy had a firm shot parried by the Ivory Coast goalkeeper after being set up by half-time substitute Khalid Boulahrouz. But with Dider Zokora pulling the strings for the Ivorians, Holland were never comfortable. The matched swayed from end to end with Robben always threatening to work an opening for the Dutch. In the 77th minute Van Persie was forced to chest off his own line when Drogba's header found its way through a packed Holland goalmouth. And in desperation, Kolo Toure tried his luck from 25 yards in injury time but his effort was deflected behind for a wasted corner.
Sunday, June 11, 2006NETHERLANDS 1-0 SERBIA AND MONTENEGRO First-half goal from Arjen Robben was enough to earn the Netherlands a 1-0 win over Serbia and Montenegro in their opening match of the 2006 FIFA World Cup in Leipzig on Sunday, 11 June 2006. Robben struck the only goal of an absorbing contest in the 18th minute, finishing confidently after his speed carried him clear of the Serbia and Montenegro back line. The victory puts Marco van Basten's Dutch team level on three points with Argentina at the top of Group C. The match: 2': A lively opening from the Netherlands and a half-chance for Arjen Robben, but his looping back-header was grabbed from under the crossbar by Dragoslav Jevric. 6': With the backing of terrific support from the Oranje fans on a warm afternoon in Leipzig the Netherlands did the early pressing, albeit without making any real inroads against the famously tight Plavi defence. 10': A foul ten yards from the right-hand edge of the Netherlands penalty area brought a free-kick for Serbia and Montenegro. But a curling effort from Savo Milosevic was saved comfortably by Edwin van der Sar. 13': A chance for Serbia and Montenegro but Milosevic and Dejan Stankovic got in each other's way. 17': The opening goal. Serbia and Montenegro attempted to play a high offside line but it did not work as Robin van Persie sent Arjen Robben clear ten yards inside the Serbia and Montenegro half. After bursting into the box, he struck a low shot past Jevric. (0-1) 21': Another chance for the lively Robben, this time a left-footed drive from some 20 yards which was palmed away by Jevric. 29': After being rocked by the goal, Serbia and Montenegro settled and Mateja Kezman went close with a header from the edge of the six-yard box. 36': Robben, a constant threat, cut in from the left and shot just wide of Jevric's left-hand post with a curling effort from the edge of the penalty area. 45': Serbia and Montenegro showed they were still in the game as Van der Sar stretched to catch a dangerous left-wing cross, and Ognjen Koroman was then inches wide with a powerful shot from the edge of the penalty area with Van der Sar well beaten. 46': Early pressure from Serbia and Montenegro brought a left-wing corner but the Netherlands scrambled the ball clear. 54': The first real chance of the second period came at the other end from a well-worked free-kick. Wesley Sneijder put the ball into the box but Robben missed with an attempted overhead kick when unmarked ten yards out. 60': Sneijder's shot from 17 yards was blocked close to goal and Jevric just got to the loose ball ahead of Ruud van Nistelrooij. 71': Serbia and Montenegro enjoyed a spell of possession and nearly drew level with a low shot from Koroman, which Van der Sar saves with his knees. 74': The Dutch were struggled to break Serbia and Montenegro's stranglehold on the game. Substitute Nikola Zigic was not far away when stretching for a left-wing cross inside the Netherlands penalty area. 81': Some respite for the Netherlands defence as the Dutch win a free-kick by the left-hand edge of the Serbia and Montenegro penalty area. A low drive from Van Persie whistled through the box untouched and went just wide. 88': A chance for a second goal for Robben but his low left-footed shot from 16 yards missed by a whisker. In conclusion: Serbia and Montenegro fought all the way but the Dutch did enough to secure a narrow and important win in this keenly contested game. Marco van Basten can celebrate his first victory in a FIFA World Cup game, either as a player or coach. The Oranje can look ahead with confidence to facing Côte d'Ivoire on Friday while Serbia and Montenegro next face another daunting assigment against Argentina.
Thursday, June 08, 2006 Netherlands on a high A week that began with fears and foreboding news on five key players seems poised to end for the Netherlands on something of a high note. The arrival on German soil of the Dutch squad yesterday certainly appears to have coincided with encouraging developments on the condition of the Marco van Basten's injured players, with all five reporting significant progress as they work their way back to full fitness. Rafael van der Vaart, the longest-standing of all the Netherlands' injury worries, trained with the squad for the first time on Wednesday morning, and the sight of Kew Jaliens and Giovanni van Bronkhorst taking part alongside the Hamburg midfielder was just as encouraging, particularly as both declared themselves "100 per cent ready". Of the other two, who trained separately, Phillip Cocu has assured his manager that he will be fit in time to face Serbia and Montenegro in their tournament opener on 11 June, while Wesley Sneijder – all but written off after limping out of Sunday's 1-1 friendly draw with Australia – admits his own initial pessimism has given way to genuine belief. "I really thought that the World Cup was over for me," admitted the Ajax midfielder. "Now I feel a lot better. In two or three days I will be back to normal."
 Squad1 VAN DER SAR Edwin (GK) 2 JALIENS Kew 3 BOULAHROUZ Khalid 4 MATHIJSEN Joris 5 VAN BRONCKHORST Giovanni 6 LANDZAAT Denny 7 KUYT Dirk 8 COCU Phillip 9 VAN NISTELROOIJ Ruud 10 VAN DER VAART Rafael 11 ROBBEN Arjen 12 KROMKAMP Jan 13 OOIJER Andre 14 HEITINGA John 15 DE CLER Tim 16 MADURO Hedwiges 17 VAN PERSIE Robin 18 VAN BOMMEL Mark 19 VENNEGOOR OF HESSELINK Jan 20 SNEIJDER Wesley 21 BABEL Ryan 22 TIMMER Henk (GK) 23 STEKELENBURG Maarten (GK)
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