review (part 1)
Ruud van Nistelrooij fired a timely hat-trick as the Netherlands booked
their ticket to UEFA EURO 2004 with a breathtaking display of attacking
football in Amsterdam.
Thunderous strike:
AFC Ajax midfield player Wesley Sneijder opened the scoring with a thunderous
13th-minute strike before teeing up Andre Ooijer and Van Nistelrooij to give
the Dutch a two-goal advantage at the break.
Two more Van Nistelrooij goals either side of Frank de Boer's header
killed off the game as a contest and ended any lingering hopes Scotland had
of a comeback.
Sneijder這場真是關鍵!!!
Fighting chance:
In the first leg Berti Vogts' side had bravely survived wave after wave of
Dutch attacks to give themselves more than a fighting chance of progressing
to Portugal but somehow - amidst the cat-calling and cacophony of the
Netherlands camp - Dick Advocaat's side found enough spirit to completely
overwhelm the Scottish resistance.
Early bookings:
It was Internazionale FC winger Andy van der Meyde who engineered the first
real opportunity of the game. His jinking run down the right bamboozled both
Paul Dickov and Gary Naysmith and Rafael van der Vaart's header from the
resulting cross flew centimetres over the bar.
Inevitable opener:
As the Netherlands' confidence steadily grew, it was Van Nistelrooij's turn
to test the Scottish resolve - but his low shot was well held by Rab Douglas.
With incessant pressure from the Dutch it seemed only a matter of time before
the Scottish defence would crumble. The inevitable goal finally arrived thanks
to a wonderful piece of skill from Wesley Sneijder, who turned Scotland
captain Barry Ferguson in midfield before sending a stinging drive beyond the
hapless Douglas to level the tie on aggregate.
Scotland chances
It was the crucial early goal which Advocaat had demanded and it lifted the
tension which had veiled the Amsterdam ArenA in the build-up to the match.
The goal also seemed to inspire their opponents - Lee Wilkie, Paul Dickov and
James McFadden all threatened the Dutch goal, but what could have been a
priceless away strike never materialised.
Sneijder creativity:
If Scotland thought they had weathered the Dutch storm, they could not have
been more wrong - Sneijder turned the game back in the home side's favour,
setting up two carbon-copy goals from set-pieces on the left-hand side.
The first arrived from a whipped-in cross which left Douglas flapping on
32 minutes - allowing Ooijer to cooly steer home.
The second, five minutes later, was another dangerous ball which
Van Nistelrooij converted with a towering header.
Swift exchange:
Scotland had a chance to haul themselves back into contention one minute
before the half-time interval, but Wilkie's header was pushed wide by
Edwin van der Sar - and the visitors barely threatened again.
After the break, the Dutch continued where they had left off,
with Van Nistelrooij striking the killer fourth in the 51st minute.
The Manchester United FC forward coolly lifted the ball over Douglas after a
swift exchange with Rafael van der Vaart.
Perfect riposte:
It was substitute Frank de Boer who turned in Sneijder's corner to make it
five on 65 minutes and the Netherlands were now playing the kind of fantasy
football we have come to expect of a side brimming with talented individuals.
It was not long before Van Nistelrooij completed his hat-trick, turning in
Van der Meyde's cross from the right. The goal capped a display which marked
a perfect riposte by the Dutch to a week of turmoil and controversy.
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