Euro 2008 Liveblog: France v. Netherlands

This is the stuff of sandwich dreams. I'll tak slice of Noemie Lenoir (Claude Makelele's wife) and a slice of Sylvie Van der Vaart (Rafael's wife) with some cured TFA meat.

If Sylvie adds a couple million pounds to Rafael's transfer fee, I would have no problem with that.

France is looking to rebound from a moribund 0-0 draw with Romania. Star-gazing Raymond Domenech will have Thierry Henry and Patrick Vieira healthy to hopefully add panache to the French attack.

Netherlands on the other hand are coming off the high of a thorough route of the World Champion Italy. But, the Dutch squad isn't without its faults. The defense is suspect and was lucky the Italians didn't capitalize on several chances. There may not be anything Marco Van Basten can do about that but it will definitely be something to watch in the match.

Lineups after the jump...


France
Coupet -- Gallas, Sagnol, Thuram, Evra -- Malouda, Makalele, Govou, Toulalan, Ribery -- Henry

Netherlands
Van der Sar -- Van Bronckhorst, Mathijsen, Ooijer, Boulahrouz -- Van der Vaart, Engelaar, De Jong, Sneijder -- van Nistelrooy, Kuyt

Three changes to the French lineup. Evra in for Abidal, Henry and Govou on for Benzema and Anelka.

No changes for the rampant Dutch side.

Oooh...ESPN just showed a fan in the Euro '88 Champion Holland jerseys featured here, and comment Joet Smeeps confirmed was still widely worn in the land of tulips.

Here come the kiddies.

And, there's Arsene Wenger!

Anthems.

I think the team shots are really angering Le Pen.

Prediction: 2-2.

Thuram and Van der Sar exchange the little flags. Do you think they just have a wall full of them for all the games they skippered their respective teams?


0:00 French starts the match.

Fashion note: The Dutch are in their Oranje jerseys with taped on numbers, with light blue sockes and white short pants. I really fancy these kits.

2:00 Ribery serves the ball into the box but Holland clears nicely. It's already been a whistle filled match.

3:00 Van Nistelrooy with a weak turn and shot that Coupet scoops up easily.

4:00 Makalele fouls Kuyt with a flying elbow to the head but no card.

5:00 Ribery gets a head on a Malouda cross but can't get it on target. Not bad for the little guy.

8:00 Lots of midfield possession for both teams but nothing doing in the advanced third.

10:00 Goal!! 1-0 Holland Kuyt. Kuyt heads corner that he won off of a long pass from Boulahrouz.

Van Bronckhorst on the service. Nice tournamnet Gio is having, no?

13:00 Well, this should open up the match, but does France have the midfield quality to do anything?

Dirk Kuyt!!



16:00 Sneijder with an ambitious shot from 25 yards goes over.

18:00 The referee should really have a different color shirt on. The dark grey is perhaps just too similar shade with the dark blue of France.

20:00 The Dutch are looking absolutely latin in their one-touch passing. Kuyt gets on the end of a French deflection but the defender manages to unsettle him and Kuyt skies it over.

21:00 First French penetration by Gouvou, but VDS gets a kicksave to it for a corner. On the ensuing corner VDS collects the ball after it is swung around the box.

25:00 France is picking it up nicely. A good 1-2 from Henry to Govou, but van Bronckhorst troubles Govou from behind (dirty!) to unsettle the shot.

27:00 Kuyt is rampant. Boulahrouz throws it in and Kuyt ends up with the ball, lays it off to a Boulahrouz who strafes it across the front of the goal wide.

31:00 Sneijder dispossesses Sagnol easily which leads to a long spell of Dutch possession in the midfield. The team is just probing now...looking for that nice, juicy French opening.

33:00 Makalele gets booked for another flying elbow to the face of van der Vaart.

35:00 Malouda gets a shot on goal from 25 but VDS saves easily. On the ensuing possession, France moves up the left flank and swings the ball to the middle where Govou strikes from 18, but right to VDS.

And, again, the French are charging, unusual since they generally retreat, with Ribery getting a good shot in on VDS, who dives to his left with the save.

The Dutch defense is looking Swiss like.

37:00 Ribery sends it across the goal face but no French player can get on the end of it.

38:00 Sneijder with a bit of overconfidence from 30 yards.

42:00 Engelaar is 6'6"? That's huge. Henry looks a bit off pace.

43:00 Maka serves Henry on the topcenter of the 18, Henry turns but can't get it on frame.

45:00 Toulalan fouls van der Vaart. I'll comfort Sylvie.

Tweet, tweet. Holland 1 - 0 France.

The first half was a tale of two halves. I guess that would make it quarters. Whatever. The Dutch dominated the first half striking Goonie Gold with Sloth Dirk Kuyt. But, France settled down and had numerous opportunities only directly aimed them at Van der Sar.

See you in a few.

Second Half

46:00 Robben on Engelaar. More offense. Sweet.

47:00 Henry shows his first sign of class turning the Dutch defender around, crossing in front of the goal but Ribery couldn't get a solid touch on it.

49:00 Sagnol crosses the free kick to Gallas who rifles it in from 40. The ball caroms around a couple times finally reaching Henry who fires but its blocked by Ooijer. Henry appeals for a hand ball but I haven't seen the replay yet. Nevertheless, good scramble defense for the Dutch.

Replays seem to show it went off Ooijer's arm.

52:00 Now Ooijer gets booked after Henry throws a temper tantrum.

54:00 Henry BLOWS it. Malouda bikes it over his head and Henry runs on all alone with VDS and tries to chip it but sends it over the goal. What a putz!

55:00 Robin van Persie on for Kuyt. Jesus...the best defense is a good offense I guess.

56:00 Sneijder gets a good strong header in on Coupet, but it was just too far out.

58:00 Terrible free kick by the Dutch. Robben sends it right into the oncharging Maka.

59:00 Goal!!! 2-0 Holland! Van Persie. What an amazing play by van Nistlerooy to keep the ball in play to Robben who streaks down the left flank and crosses it to Van Persie who puts it on Coupet and just trickles past Coupet.

61:00 France on the attack again. Ribery strikes it well at VDS, but he volleyball spikes it back.

I missed it but Gomis is on for Malouda.

I still can't believe that last goal. The Dutch have the two best build-up goals in the tournament.

63:00 Robben sends in a strong daisy cutter to Coupet who gets a hand to it.

67:00 van Persie dispossesses Thuram and gets in on gaol but plays a blind ball to the middle of the box, but no Dutch players were trailing. He should have shot.

70:00 Sneijder sends a free kick into the 6 yard box but Coupet gobbles it.

71:00 GOAL!!! Henry. 2-1 Holland. Sagnol crosses it in to a streaking Henry in the 6 yard box, just touching his toe to the ball. Perfect pass and touch.

72:00 GOAL!!! Robben. 3-1 Holland. On the ensuing kickoff, Sneijder feeds Robben who beats Coupet near and high. Amazing shot from near the touchline. Wow.

75:00 Anelka on for Govou. Only 45 seconds between the last two goals. I was too busy typing and didn't even see the goal until the replay.

76:00 Henry trips Van Persie. Nice guy.

Van Bronckhorst fouls Gomis just outside the box. Ribery lines up over the ball from 22...but just chips it over to Henry who heads it over. Andy Gray is merciless on Henry's heading ability. Hilarious.

78:00 Bouma on for van der Vaart. Evra just sent a daisy cutter to VDS' right but its wide.

82:00 Maka slips on his arse when he had a great chance to get a shot on goal. Toulalan booked.

83:00 Van Nistlerooy almost gets on the scoresheet after a long ball from the back finds his head and goes just over Coupet but he recovers to save for a corner. Just a bit more pace and its 4-1.

85:00 Coupet comes out of his box to keep van Persie from getting in on goal alone. Just a bit too far from van Persie.

86:00 Mathijsen gets in on Anelka in the area to keep Anelka's shot from going on goal. Penalty appeal but to no avail.

87:00 Ribery over the ball from 23 but just over the goal.

89:00 Robben threatens again going a yard wide right. He really has been a phenom this half.

90:00 Two added minutes.

90:00 +2 GOAL!!! 4-1 Holland Sneijder with a brilliant shot from 18 over the keeper into the top shelf. Just off the bottom of the bar.

Game 4-1 Holland.

Holland advances and keeps its life from the group of death. France needs a Holland victory over Romania and its own victory over Italy to advance.

What a marvelous match for the Dutch. Again. The extra offense in the second half was some genius from Van Basten.

As the commenters have said, France just got cooked in the Dutch Oven, which is why all French are stinky.

Who was the man of the match? Van der Sar? Kuyt? Robben? Sneijder? I don't know. Kuyt was certainly the best in the first half, but Robben was great in the second and Van der Sar had some good saves.

I'll go with Robben who seemed to brighten the Dutch offense significantly.

Join me tomorrow for Spain - Russia Sweden.