After a heavy, unexpected defeat to the Dutch, the World Champions Italy reinstated veteran attacker Del Piero and broke up the Milan midfield trio torn apart in the first leg by swapping Gattuso with De Rossi and also removing Ambrosini. The five changes expected to exploit Toni’s strength and aerial ability, by using the width and running brought by left back Fabio Grosso and Simone Perrotta of Roma. Romania kept the same formation which brought them a draw against France, once more looking to counter attack with the Italians likely to be presented the majority of possession just like France.
Romania’s biggest threat in Adrian Mutu made an early impression as he challenged for a cross in the opening stages but headed over. Later the Fiorentina man was found to be offside as the Romanians broke again. Yet Italy tried to take an early advantage as Toni played in Del Piero, top scorer in Serie A this past season, whose shot was deflected for a corner. Camoranesi chipped in a weighted pass in the path of the Juventus trequartista but the ball was taken away from him. Yet Perrotta, as every commentator will mention him being born in Aston-under –Lyne, the birth place of Geoff Hurst, crossed the ball back across goal but Del Piero headed wide at the near post. The same man played a delicate back-heel into the direction of Perrotta but the pass was intercepted. While Del Piero was involved in most of the early Italian attacks, Mutu broke and shot towards the far post but Buffon rushed out swiftly and denied him well.
Defender Gabriel Tamas hit a rasping long range drive, which he did well to keep low as Buffon pushed it away from his left. Soon after Chivu whipped in a dangerous free-kick, with which Niculae connected well and it hit the base of the post with aid of a deflection of an Italian defender. Zambrotta cleared and two Romanian players collided head on in a bid to knock the ball back into the box. Radoi was worse off and was taken off by a stretcher cart with Dica replacing him. Yet the Italians hit back as Grosso curled a dangerous ball into the six-yard box, with which Del Piero almost connected in what would have been a sure goal. Later Toni headed wide as Italian pressure continued.
Yet the Romanians reminded the fans of their threat as Razvan Rat hit from long range after some decent possession, with the ball whirring just past the post as Buffon scrambled across the goal. Soon after, Del Piero was fouled and hit the resulting free-kick high and wide as Pirlo also competed to have a try. Pirlo played a fine pass down the line, which his new AC Milan team-mate Zambrotta controlled and crossed to Toni, who knocked down for Perrotta to hit, but a fine recovery challenge denied him. Then came three successive corners, from which Romania were stretched and seemed to forget their defensive strategy as Toni wreaked havoc with a powerful header that was saved and knock-downs into dangerous areas, as Lobont bravely cleared the ball.
The Italians used their set pieces in a creative manner as the ball was played deep on the stroke of half time by Pirlo to Zambrotta who chipped the ball into the box to Toni who headed in but was wrongly flagged offside in a poor decision by the linesman as Italy’s luck deserted them. Italy began the second half with patient possession but were shocked after a poorly weighted back-header to Buffon fell into the path of Mutu, who swept home with great confidence past Buffon to send Romania into a unexpected lead. Just two minutes later Giorgio Chiellini headed the ball back across goal from a corner and Panucci stabbed home to equalize and relight Italian hopes. Yet the Romanians had further chances to retake the lead with Petre’s shot blocked by Grosso. The Lyon left-back then made a last ditch sliding tackle to stop Nicolita shooting as the Italians were short at the back.
Soon after, Cassano lifted a ball into Toni, who chested down to De Rossi, whose diving header was well saved by the athletic lunge of Lobont to his right. Yet Panucci’s fine performance had a turn for the worse as referee Tom Ovrebo gave a penalty for pulling. In the most tense of moments, Buffon showed why he is rated as the finest keeper in the world in some quarters with a wonderful save from Mutu’ well struck penalty. The Romanians appeared to rock the Italians, with Ambrosini brought on to steady the Italian ship. Toni went down under pressure when competing for a Cassano cross and appealed for a penalty but all Italian claims were waived away. Soon after a lofted pass from Pirlo was directed to Quagliarella via a Luca Toni knock-down but the Udinese striker failed to connect and was also called off-side.
In injury time the Romanians won a free-kick but it was wasted as Tamas fired over from distance ending the match in a draw, which adds great need of a win against France on the final Group C Matchday (which doesn’t guarantee their progress), while Romanian hopes are looking up as one of the favourites’ hopes linger by a thread after a fascinating encounter in Zurich.
Italy 1 – 1 Romania FT
After a footballing master-class against Italy, this most anticipated of matches is set to decide if all four sides can still progress on the final matchday. Marco Van Basten started with the same eleven players who provided a balance that played to their counter-attacking strengths and refuted claims from those such as Johan Cruyff, the Oranje legend and one of the pioneers of ‘totaalvoetbal’, who claims their rich footballing heritage is being betrayed with the use of two holding midfielders in Engelaar and De Jong. The duo performed heroically.
France on the other hand had to step up their pedestrian tempo and provide defensive pressure from the front. The return of Henry with both Benzema and Anelka dropped meant two similar styles as France kept their two holding midfielders, providing defensive stability. This time they were not expected to create with Ribery in an attacking trio alongside Govou and Malouda in a bid to support ex-Arsenal attacker Henry. Holland started aggressively with two foul in quick succession to halt any prolonged French possession. Soon after the bounce of the ball beat the experienced Lilian Thuram and found its way to Van Nistlerooy, who turned and shot rather than set up Kuyt. The Liverpool man was body checked by the wily Makelele in an action which deserved a booking, but Herbert Fandel did not caution the Chelsea man.
Soon after, France’s decent start continued as Malouda crossed to the far post for Ribery who headed wide. Yet Holland continued their fine form as Kuyt headed in Van Bronckhorst’s corner after easily fending off the poor aerial challenge of Malouda to give the Dutch a 1-0 lead after nine minutes. France almost hit back as Ribery dispossessed the giant Engelaar and drove at the Dutch defence, as Henry ran wide to create space for his compatriot but the Bayern man was stopped in full-flow. Some wonderful possession football by the Dutch created an opening for Sneidjer, whose shot was blocked, as France failed to pressure the orange shirts. A long ball from Van Bronckhorst beat Thuram with alarming ease and Kuyt pounced on the loose ball but shot over as with the defence in trouble.
The Dutch appeared to be in control as Van Nistlerooy turned wonderfully but France suddenly pounced into life as Sidney Govou shot from an acute angle at the near post under pressure but Van Der Sar saved sharply with his feet. France came back into the game to a certain extent as Govou had another shot blocked and soon after Malouda hit a shot from distance, which the Dutch keeper gathered. Soon after the veteran clutched onto Govou effort, while Ribery and Makelele also strode forward with the former using the run of the latter to create space for a shot, which the Manchester United keeper saved well once more. These three efforts in quick succession swung the momentum of the tie as Ribery broke down the right flank and crossed only for both Henry and Govou to evade the ball. Later, the busy Makelele fed Henry who turned and shot just wide.
Engelaar’s tendency to lose the ball in the first half caused him to be replaced by Arjen Robben, so impressive in the closing stages of Real Madrid’s season, as Van Basten tried to stem the tide of French attacks. Henry, quiet in the first half, beat two players and crossed for Ribery to win a corner off Van Bronckhorst. The Dutch were rocked after many deflections as the ball fell to Henry whose shot was brilliantly blocked by Oojier at point blank range. Henry was brilliantly played through be Malouda’s overhead kick but his lob was too long, and the finish was not typical of what one expects of the Barcelona man. Perhaps a season of playing on the left flank has taken away his sharpness in front of goal, despite scoring 19 last season (mostly against lesser sides).
Later Robben dribbled down the left flank and crossed for Sneidjer, who headed straight into the arms of Coupet. A world class goal from Holland stunned France as Van Nistlerooy did a roulette playing the ball into the path of Robben, who drove down the wing with electric pace and found Van Persie, who at the far post fired in with what seemed to be his first meaningful touch to double the Dutch lead. Soon after Robben switched to the right flank and dribbled with menace but his shot was too close to Coupet, who gathered well. Soon after, Robin Van Persie intercepted a lax Makelele pass, and advanced but was without support and his cut-back found no-one.
Sagnol bombed down the right and provided a brilliant cross for Henry to direct into the goal with the faintest of touches to bring France back into contention. Immediately, Arjen Robben, wonderfully dribbled in the box, shifted the ball to his left and fired a totally unexpected bullet of a shot past the shell-shocked Coupet to retake a two goal lead. The brilliant, but injury prone Dutchman stood totally perplexed, amazed at his own ability in this enthralling game. After Anelka and Gomis were brought on, Ribery beat De Jong with ease and pulled back only for Makelele to be the recipient, a more composed finisher would have made it 3-2 as the Chelsea man fluffed his shot. At the other end, a fine floated pass from midfield found Ruud Van Nistlerooy, who headed towards goal as Coupet scrambled back to knock it past the post. Soon after fine interplay between Van Bronckhorst and Sneidjer played in Van Persie with a cross-field pass, but Coupet rushed out and cleared the danger. Ribery fired a free-kick over after Makelele was fouled and with his miss went any hope of a France comeback. Evra’s cross was blocked and the Dutch countered once more as Robben sped up the pitch and fired in a shot from the edge of the area, but it flashed wide. Sneidjer topped off a stunning performance with a turn and shot into the top corner. Comprehensive victories over the two World Cup finalists and scoring 7 goals in turn, showed why this Netherlands side are true contenders for the Henri Delauney trophy.
France and Italy are now contesting for survival in Euro 2008, with their chances not in their hands, even with a win, while two years ago they were competing for the World Cup. Such has been their demise. The brilliant Dutch have qualified for the quarter finals, alongside Portugal and Croatia and have surely gained thousands of new fans with their stunning counter-attacking football. Van Basten’s substitutions were very attacking and bold, when another manager would have put on a defender to stem the French attacks, he went for broke and it paid off. Surely he’d rather stay on than leave to become Ajax coach this summer?
This was definitely the game of the tournament so far and the entertainment bar a few matches has been of high quality. Who needs England to make a tournament sparkle when we have the Oranje?
Holland 4 – 1 France FT
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