It's a fairy-tale

Willem Vissers
Friday 13 June 2008

It's a fairy-tale, it's incredible, it is actually impossible.

But it's all true!

After World Champions Italy France, the runners up of the last World Cup, were also defeated with figures that left no room for any doubt.

The orange machine won 4-1.

The French were the better team, and yes 4-1 was very flattering to the Dutch.

But especially in the second half the forward play of the Dutch team was of an unheard of beauty that deserves a place in the Oranje-museum.

The way in which Van Nistelrooy, with keeper Van der Sar the best Dutchman on the pitch, swirled the ball under his boots à la Zidane to fool Thuram was fantastic.

The way he served Robben was neat.

The way Robben ran at the French defenders and at the same time assessed the situation in the box was sublime.

The way he then put the ball on a plate for Van Persie - who scored with a bit of luck - was very useful at least.

It was a reward for boss Marco van Basten who dared to gamble on the skills of Van Persie and Robben in a phase where Holland were struggling.

He brought all Dutch creativity - Robben, Van Persie, Sneijder, Van der Vaart. - on and it paid off.

Holland's street-football helped Oranje, even after Henry's goal for 2-1, out of trouble.

Almost as good as the second goal was Robben's screamer for 3-1.

Again it came from a fast counter attack.

After a short dribbling in the box he dared to shoot from a very tight angle.

The ball hit the net right past Thuram and keeper Coupet.

French onslaught
The French siege of the Dutch goal lasted about an hour and was interrupted sometimes by a Dutch counter attack.

The French, with a very dynamic Ribéry, sometimes crossed the midfield without any resistance.

But they squandered their chances or found an impressive Van der Sar on their way.

The Manchester stopper almost forms a defense all by himself.

Holland never reached the level of the game against Italy, but it needs to be said that the French are much better organized team than Italy were.

Yet, again it was a miraculous night, a night never to forget.

Only Holland's first 20 minutes were really good.

Then the qualities of the New Oranje were visible: a team that shows an almost forgotten fighting spirit, a fighting spirit necessary to compensate for the lack of pure quality in some positions.

Grim
Nigel De Jong is developing into the new Jan Wouters.

Andre Ooijer and Joris Mathijsen showed a magnificent grimness.

Sublime was the display of Van Nistelrooy holding the ball against an army of French defenders, creating time and space for others.

The calmness of his game was a beautiful thing to watch.

Oranje are a unity.

Holland emerged as winners from a wild opening phase full of fouls.

De Jong, Boulahrouz and Makelele showed themselves.

It was after these first skirmishes that Holland took the lead.

Kuyt fought and gained a corner.

Van der Vaart took it and at the near post found that same Dirk Kuyt who out-wrestled Malouda and scored from three yards out.

The French coach Domenech had made some changes to the lineup of the game against Romania.

Henry and Govou replaced Anelka and Benzema.

Ribéry is a fantastic player going all over the pitch from the center.

Engelaar proved to slow to keep up with his royal game.

Aggression
At the back Boulahrouz seemed vulnerable in the build up, but his aggression was impressive.

And again it showed that the goal keeper is part of the defense: Van der Sar had to make fabulous saves on shots of Govou and Ribéry.

Engelaar's replacement by Robben was spectacular.

Van der Vaart took over the role of holding midfielder, Sneijder moved from the left to the center.

At first it meant little changes to Holland's offensive play.

They were still mainly fighting off the French and at times they barely coped.

The German referee Fandel refused to give the French a penalty when Ooijer blocked a shot by Henry with his arm.

Then Henry lifted the ball over Van der Sar and over the crossbar.

Holland could only answer with a number of eructations of their attacking brilliance and saw Sneijder make it 4-1 with a masterful shot.

4-1.

Incredible, but true.

Holland: van der Sar, Boulahrouz, Ooijer, Mathijsen van Bronckhorst, Engelaar (46'/ Robben), Kuyt (55'/ Van Persie), Van der Vaart (79'/Bouma), Sneijder, Van Nistelrooy

France: Coupet, Sagnol, Thuram, Gallas, Evra, Makelele, Toulalan, Govou (75'/ Anelka), Ribery , Malouda (60'/Gomis), Henry

Score:
1:0 Kuyt (9')
2:0 van Persie (59')
2:1 Henry (71')
3:1 Robben (72')
4:1 Sneijder (90'+2).