BBC SPORT | Football | Euro 2004 (original) (raw)

The Czech Republic came from 2-0 down to win an enthralling game with Holland and go through to the quarter-finals.

The Dutch took the lead through a Wilfred Bouma header from a Arjen Robben free-kick.

Robben set up Ruud van Nistelrooy to tap in a second before Milan Baros fed Jan Koller to cut their lead.

Baros equalised with a sensational strike before Vladimir Smicer scored a late winner to cruelly deny Holland, who had Johnny Heitinga sent off.

Holland will wonder how they lost the game.

They led after three minutes with virtually their first attack of the game.

Robben put in a free-kick from the right that found Bouma unmarked and he made no mistake with a diving header into the bottom corner.

It was a goal that came against the early run of play as Koller and Marek Jankulovski had already missed chances for the Czech Republic.

Clarence Seedorf twice went close with a free-kick that just edged past the post and a long-range shot after a good move involving Edgar Davids and Van Nistelrooy.

	KEY MOMENTS 3 mins: Holland take the lead through a Bouma header 19 mins: The Dutch double their lead through Van Nistelrooy 23 mins: Koller pulls one back for the Czechs 71 mins: Baros grabs a stunning equaliser after being set up by Koller 75 mins: Heitinga is sent-off for a second yellow card 88 mins: Smicer scores a dramatic winner for the Czechs

Robben fired in a right-foot shot that Petr Cech did well to save as the Dutch went looking for a second.

They did not have to wait long but there was some controversy about it.

Robben put in a fine cross that seemed destined for the head of Van Nistelrooy but he looked to be fouled in the air.

The Manchester United striker was still complaining when the ball came back for Davids to find Robben and he squared it for Van Nistelrooy, who had come from an offside position to tap home.

Their lead lasted just four minutes as the Dutch handed the Czechs a lifeline.

Giovanni van Bronckhorst needlessly gave the ball away to Baros, who ran at Stam and appeared to have found his way blocked.

	Everyone is talking about my substitution that didn't work out but no one is talking about all the chances that we missed Holland coach Dick Advocaat

But the Liverpool forward showed great persistence to square for Koller who had the simple task of firing past Edwin van der Sar.

Both sides were fully committed to attacking football, which left gaps at the back and led to no shortage of chances.

Heitinga got in on the act as he found room on the right and unleashed a shot that had top corner written all over it before Cech somehow managed to get a hand to it.

Davids beat the impressive Cech with a sweetly-struck left-foot shot but saw it come back off the post.

The end-to-end action continued after the break as Van Nistelrooy saw a header saved by Cech's legs and then Marek Heinz set up Baros only for Van der Sar to pull off a terrific one-handed save.

Robben's withdrawal seemed to hand the initiative to the Czechs and they got an equaliser when Koller chested a deep cross into the path of Baros and he lashed home a half-volley.

The Dutch were reduced to 10 men when Heitinga was harshly adjudged to have brought down Pavel Nedved and was shown a second yellow card.

Nedved was inches away from supplying a suitable finish to the game when his 35-yard shot came back off the bar.

And with two minutes to go Heinz fired in a low shot that Van der Sar did well to save, but Karel Poborsky was first to the rebound and he squared for Smicer to tap in.

Holland: Van der Sar, Heitinga, Stam, Bouma, Van Bronckhorst, Seedorf (Van der Vaart 86), Cocu, Davids, Van der Meyde (Reiziger 79), van Nistelrooy, Robben (Bosvelt 58).
Subs not used: Westerveld, Waterreus, Kluivert, de Boer, Makaay, Overmars, Sneijder, Van Hooijdonk, Zenden.

Sent Off: Heitinga (75).
Booked: Seedorf, Heitinga.

Czech Republic: Cech, Grygera (Smicer 24), Ujfalusi, Jiranek, Jankulovski, Galasek (Heinz 62), Poborsky, Rosicky, Nedved, Baros, Koller (Rozehnal 75).
Subs not used: Blazek, Kinsky, Mares, Lokvenc, Vachousek, Hubschman, Tyce, Plasil.

Booked: Galasek.

Attendance: 30,000.

Referee: Manuel Enrique Mejuto Gonzalez (Spain).

TRIVIA

• The Czechs have won their last seven competitive matches since drawing with the Netherlands in a March 2003 qualifier, and have not lost in their last ten competitive matches since losing 1-0 at home to Belgium in a World Cup qualification match in November 2001.
• The Netherlands ended their seven match unbeaten run in the European Championship. Their previous dates back to 18 June 1996 when England beat them 4-1. The competition record stands at ten matches without defeat and is jointly held by West Germany, Italy and The Netherlands.
• The opening goal by Dutch defender Wilfred Bouma in the fourth minute marks the fastest goal of Euro 2004. In the history of the European Championship four goals were scored in the third minute.
• Czech Republic beat Netherlands after being 2-0 down. The last team to produce such a comeback was Portugal who beat England 3-2 after going 2-0 down.
  
  
  Links to more Euro 2004 stories
  

EURO 2004

GLORY FOR GREECE

TOURNAMENT REVIEW

INTERNET LINK

The BBC is not responsible for the content of external internet sites