Holland Crush France
Friday, June 13th, 2008Great game. France are a mere shadow of their former selves. I can’t believe they were favourites before the game. I think Holland will win the tournament now. If you can beat the World Champions 3-0 and the World Cup runner up 4-1, you’re a shit hot team. Italy and France are out now anyway. I can imagine that the Dutch will let Romania win.
Bet won but had £60 on Italy and £40 on Germany so only about £10 up overall.
Good write up of the game Holland/ France game on 101greatgoals with highlights.
Holland 4 - France 1 (Euro 2008, June 13, 2008) Domenech gave starts to Henry, Govou and Evra, however Malouda was surprisingly kept in the side. Ribery went close with an early header, but the 9th minute Van der Vaart had a corner, Malouda stood statuesque, and Dirk Kuyt nodded the Dutch in the lead. Holland went in search for a second, Sneijder firing over the bar. In the 22nd minute France finally had a shot on target when Govou struck in a smart shot which van der Sar saved with his leg. France were being ouplayed, and their frustrations were on full show as Makelele was booked for striking out at van der Vaart. At the end of the half the French began to look more dangerous, Malouda and Govou both forcing saves from van der Sar, while an ineffective Henry fired wide. (First half highlights here.) Henry had two good chances after the break, the first snuffed out by Ooijer’s handball which the referee failed to spot, and the second a bad miss over the bar after Malouda played a lovely through-ball. Van Basten sent on Robin van Persie for Kuyt, and the Arsenal striker made an immediate impact scoring the decisive second after great work from van Nistelrooy (cheeky backheel) and Robben. With 20 minutes remaining Sagnol charged down the right, crossed, and Thierry Henry got the faintest of touches to pull a goal back. But within 60 second Holland went 3-1 up, Arjen Robben scoring a fabulous solo goal high into Coupet’s near post. Ruud van Nistelrooy (lovely header from De Jong’s raking pass) and Robben came close to adding the fourth, before a wonderful injury-time strike from Wesley Sneijder sealed the win. Holland qualify (celebrations, with babies, here) from the Group of Death, while the French need to beat Italy to stay alive.