- And there’s the final whistle! The Netherlands prevail by three goals to nil after a stunning performance. Group C is wide open, Euro 2008 has finally burst into life.
- 90+3′ Chance for Italy! Ambrosini’s close-range shot cannons off a defender and goes behind. Del Piero’s corner from the right drops in the six yard box before being cleared.
- 90′ World champions Italy, many people’s pre-tournament favourites, have been destroyed here. It has been a truly masterful performance from the Dutch, and a pleasure to behold.
- 89′ Van Persie breaks through a couple of challenges on the left side of the Italy area before flashing a shot across goal!
- 86′ Afellay’s cross from the right is headed away by Panucci.
- 85′ The pace has gone out of the game completely now. Italy know they’ve been well beaten, and this will go down as one of THE great nights in Dutch football history.
- 82′ Afellay finds space on the Dutch right and cracks in a rising drive that clips the top of the crossbar!
- 81′ What a night for Holland! Kuyt is replaced by PSV Eindhoven striker Ibrahim Afellay.
- 79′ GOAL! 3-0 Netherlands! Incredible stuff! Van der Sar produces a stunning save to repel a Pirlo free-kick, the Netherlands break, Kuyt has a chip saved by Buffon but recovers to dink a cross into the box from the right that Van Bronckhorst heads home despite a despairing lunge from Zambrotta on the line!
- 78′ Another great chance for Italy! Grosso gets in round the back and forces a save from Van der Sar with a low shot before Van Bronckhorst scrambles the ball clear!
- 77′ Defensive change for the Netherlands. Johnny Heitinga replaces Bouhlarouz.
- 76′ What a chance for Italy! Cassano finds Toni with a pass from deep, and the former Fiorentina man has the freedom of the penalty area but lofts the ball well over the crossbar with his left foot!
- 75′ Italy coach Roberto Donadoni makes his final roll of the dice, with Sampdoria striker Antonio Cassano – enfant terrible of Italian football – coming on for Mauro Camoranesi.
- 74′ Grosso’s cross from the left is blocked by Bouhlarouz and then cleared.
- 72′ Engelaar rises at the near post to head clear a cross from the Italy left.
- 70′ Another sight of goal for Del Piero! He cuts in from the left and bends a shot wide of the far post from just inside the Dutch area. Meanwhile, Van Basten makes his first substitution, with Robin van Persie coming on for Ruud van Nistelrooy.
- 69′ Van der Vaart wins a free-kick off Ambrosini about 30 yards from goal, and gets up to curl a left-footed shot well over the bar.
- 68′ Pirlo’s corner is headed away by Kuyt at the near post, and the Liverpool man then produces a superbly timed tackle to dispossess Camoranesi moments later.
- 67′ Grosso’s cross from the Italy left is deflected behind for a corner.
- 66′ First sight of goal for Del Piero! He curls a right-footer into Van der Sar’s arms from just outside the Dutch penalty area.
- 64′ Pirlo tries to catch Van der Sar out with a free-kick to the near post from wide on the left, but it goes a few yards wide. Italy make their second change, sending on Alessandro Del Piero in place of Antonio Di Natale.
- 63′ Grosso momentarily gets free down the Italy left but Bouhlarouz comes across to clear.
- 61′ Gattuso is penalised for blocking off Van Bronckhorst, and gives the ref a relieved squeeze after avoiding a second yellow card.
- 60′ Toni brilliantly controls Panucci’s deep pass on his chest before turning and putting a weak left-footed shot straight at Van der Sar.
- 59′ Pirlo’s subsequent free-kick is headed clear, while Grosso’s cross towards Toni meets a similar fate.
- 58′ Nigel de Jong is cautioned for holding back Ambrosini in midfield.
- 57′ Zambrotta wins a free-kick deep on the Italy right, but Pirlo flights it out of play for a goal kick.
- 55′ Italy make their first change, with World Cup winning penalty-scorer Fabio Grosso coming on for Materazzi. Panucci moves to centre-half, with Zambrotta switching to right-back to accommodate Grosso on the left.
- 54′ Zambrotta gets the better of Kuyt down the Italy left before firing a right-footed cross-cum-shot across the face of goal and wide!
- 53′ Van der Vaart’s inswinger is headed wide of the back post by Ooijer.
- 52′ Kuyt breaks forward down the Dutch right and wins a corner off Materazzi.
- 51′ Gattuso is booked for dissent after Zambrotta is penalised for a foul on Kuyt.
- 49′ Engelaar surges down the Dutch left before finding Van Nistelrooy on the edge of the Italian box, but the ball squirts off his foot for a goal kick. Looked like he took a hefty kick off Materazzi in the process as well.
- 47′ Pirlo’s right-wing corner is headed wide of the near post by Panucci.
- 46′ The second half begins. No changes to report at half-time. Toni is brilliantly denied by Andre Ooijer inside the Netherlands penalty area, before Ambrosini follows up to win a corner.
- 45+1′ The half-time whistle sounds after a superb 45 minutes from the Netherlands. 2-0 the score at the break. Can they stamp their authority on Group C by holding on for a win?
- 45′ Great effort from Di Natale! The Italy number 11 cracks a right-footed half-volley narrowly over the crossbar from 20 yards.
- 44′ Van Nistelrooy takes a tumble in the Italy box after minimal contact by Ambrosini, but the referee is unmoved.
- 43′ Great chance for the Netherlands! Van Nistelrooy is released by a wonderful pass from Van der Vaart but his shot hits Buffon and balloons over the crossbar! He was clean through then, Van Nistelrooy, and should have scored.
- 41′ Camoranesi seizes on a loose ball just outside the Dutch box but can’t find Toni with his through-ball.
- 40′ Kuyt is penalised for a robust aerial challenge on Materazzi.
- 38′ A half-volley from Sneijder is blocked on the edge of the Italy box.
- 37′ Kuyt’s flick-on towards Van Nistelrooy is mopped up by Barzagli.
- 36′ Van der Sar claims Gattuso’s cross from the Italy right.
- 35′ Van Nistelrooy is caught offside.
- 34′ Zambrotta is booked for a cynical trip on Kuyt.
- 33′ Good save Edwin van der Sar! Camoranesi’s cross from the right is volleyed goalwards by Di Natale but the Manchester United goalkeeper stops it!
- 31′ GOAL! 2-0 Netherlands! A stunning goal! Pirlo’s corner is cleared off the line by Van Bronckhorst, they break down the left, Kuyt heads Van Bronckhorst’s cross back across goal from the right and Sneijder half-volleys it past Buffon at the near post! Beautiful football from the Dutch. Italy are stunned!
- 30′ Zambrotta wins a corner on the Italy left.
- 29′ Toni goes down under a challenge from Mathijsen inside the Netherlands box, but the ref says play on.
27′ Toni is booked for protesting. Panucci was actually standing behind the goal-line when the ball was played back into the box – his momentum having taken him off the pitch – and that may be what distracted the linesman.- 26′ GOAL! 1-0 Netherlands! Van der Vaart’s free-kick is half-cleared at the back post, the ball is driven back into the box from the edge of the area and Van Nistelrooy touches the ball past Buffon from close range despite being about two yards offside! Controversy here in Berne! Van Nistelrooy can’t believe his luck.
- 25′ Van der Vaart wins a free-kick on the Dutch right.
- 24′ The Netherlands go close! Sneijder bends a free-kick into the Italy box from deep and Materazzi puts a header inches wide of Buffon’s left-hand post! That was very nearly a memorable own goal.
- 23′ Toni just gets his head to Pirlo’s delivery at the back post but can only help the ball on its way out for a goal kick.
- 22′ Sneijder wins a throw-in off Panucci on the far side of the pitch deep in Dutch territory before Ambrosini wins a free-kick off Sneijder on the Italy right.
- 21′ Di Natale’s attempted pass towards rampaging left-back Gianluca Zambrotta is cut out, and the Netherlands regain possession.
- 19′ Sneijder crashes a left-footed half-volley over the Italy crossbar from just outside the penalty area.
- 18′ Great chance for the Netherlands! Kuyt pokes the ball through to Van Nistelrooy, who sidesteps Buffon, thinks about going down for the penalty, decides against it but finds himself too wide for the shot, and ends up dinking in a cross that Italy eventually clear.
- 17′ More slick passing from the Dutch. Italy are happy to sit back and let them play for the time being.
- 16′ Orlando Engelaar looks for Van Nistelrooy with a driven pass down the inside-right channel but the Real Madrid man can’t get there and it goes out for a goal kick.
- 15′ Van Nistelrooy sends in a fairly tame half-volley from 25 yards that’s comfortably fielded by Buffon.
- 14′ The Netherlands are starting to string a few passes around now.
- 13′ Van Bronckhorst gets a talking to from the referee after jumping in on Panucci.
- 12′ Chance for Italy! Gattuso picks out Toni with a left-footed cross from the right flank but the Bayern Munich man heads the ball back across goal and wide!
- 11′ Wesley Sneijder takes the free-kick and it hits Dutch defender Andre Ooijer on the backside before coming back to Van der Vaart, who moves forward and fires in a low shot that’s comfortably saved by Buffon.
- 10′ Another foul by Gattuso – this time on Van Nistelrooy – results in a free-kick being awarded to the Netherlands about 25 yards from goal.
- 9′ Andrea Pirlo gives a lovely cameo of his skills, with a sharp Cruyff turn in midfield followed by a trademark pinpoint pass out to Panucci on the far side. Gennaro Gattuso is then penalised for catching Rafael van der Vaart inside the centre circle.
- 8′ Di Natale’s low cross from the Italy right is cleared at the back post. Both sides are knocking the ball around nicely in the game’s early stages.
- 7′ Toni wins a free-kick for a foul by Joris Mathijsen on the halfway line.
- 6′ Let’s hope this game is better than the goalless draw between Romania and France earlier on, which was an absolute stinker.
- 5′ Giovanni van Bronckhorst is penalised for a trip on Camoranesi.
- 4′ Camoranesi sends an ambitious shot well wide of the right-hand upright from distance.
- 3′ Di Natale gets free down the Italy right, but with Toni in the centre his cross drifts across goal and out for a throw-in on the near side.
- 2′ Massimo Ambrosini sends a header looping into his own penalty area and Ruud van Nistelrooy gives chase, but Italy goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon claims it.
- 1′ Here we go! The Netherlands, in their famous orange shirts, white shorts and light blue socks, will attack the goal to our right in the first half. Italy, aiming to become only the second team in history to be world and European champions at the same time, are in all blue.
27′ Toni is booked for protesting. Panucci was actually standing behind the goal-line when the ball was played back into the box – his momentum having taken him off the pitch – and that may be what distracted the linesman.
26′ GOAL! 1-0 Netherlands! Van der Vaart’s free-kick is half-cleared at the back post, the ball is driven back into the box from the edge of the area and Van Nistelrooy touches the ball past Buffon from close range despite being about two yards offside! Controversy here in Berne! Van Nistelrooy can’t believe his luck.
24′ The Netherlands go close! Sneijder bends a free-kick into the Italy box from deep and Materazzi puts a header inches wide of Buffon’s left-hand post! That was very nearly a memorable own goal.
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