Live Commentary Euro 2008

FRANCE 1 - 4 HOLLAND

Ok, here we go again!!! We are back with you live (although, not from Stade du Suisse in Bern, Switzerland) and excited about this match. Whoever wins this gets a big boost in the table. France needs a victory today or really risk getting bounced from the competition. On the other hand, if Holland win, they will have the luxury of resting their best players during the next match as they will have sealed up the group.

France:
Coupet, Gallas, Makelele, Malouda, Govou, Henry, Evra, Thuram (C), Sangnol, Toulalan, Ribery

Holland:
Van der Sar (C), Ooijer, Mathijeson, Van Bronkhorst, Engelaar, Van Nistelrooy, Sniejder, DeJong, Kuyt, Boularhouz, Van der Vaart

Kick-off 20:45

After taking a quick look over the starting line-ups, I see that the FFF must have called upon Domenech (a useless coach if there ever was one) to juggle up his line-up a bit. Thierry Henry is back in the side with Nico Anelka on the bench. Benzema is sitting and Govou has stepped into the mix. Patric Evra is also fit to play.

1mins. The French kick off from playing from right to left. They are wearing the full blue strip and the dutch are wearing Orange, White, Baby Blue.
2mins. Malouda gets fouled and Ribery takes the free kick from the left side of the pitch. Cleared by the Dutch.
2mins. Van Nistelrooy tried to take the French defense by storm, but ends up mis-firing. Easy pick up for Coupet.
5mins. OOOOOhhhhhh, Malouda crosses from the left side to a leaping Ribery who heads it wide. That could have been dangerous if the little elf was a bit taller.
9mins. GOOOOOOOOAAAAAAAAAALLLLLLLLL!!!! Dirk Kuyt gets in front of Florent Malouda (who was ball watching) and heads home from the corner kick. Poor defending on the set peice I have to say. Nevertheless, the Dutch have taken a !-0 lead for the moment.
14mins. The French play it safe for the moment, and Ribery tries to unlock the defense only to lose the ballon in the process.
15mins. OOOOOhhhhhh, Wesley Sneijder lets a rocket shot go high and high after DeJong steals from the French.
18mins. The Dutch play some lovely one touch footie between 7 players and have a go only to be blocked away. Nice football from the Dutch.
20mins. OOOOOhhhhhh, Thuram mistimes a header to clear and actually heads it behind only for the lurking Dirk Kuyt to jump on it first and touch it over. He didn't have much time to react but he did get a touch toward goal. That could have been dangerous if Kuyt had anticipated a bit sooner.
22mins. OOOOOhhhhhh, Sagnol puts a cross into the box and Govou does well to take the cross down and get a shot off. Van der Sar shows why he's the European Champion goalkeeper and saves well. This was the real first chance for the French. They need much more of this to be effective as the Dutch are playing very well today...again.
26mins. Some more nice one touch passing to break through the French defense only for the last and most deadly pass to fall to Boularhouz who puts it across goal for nobody to pounce on. In case you were wondering Ruud was out on the wing where the play started.
30mins. at thirty minutes the French are yet to settle down in this match. They are chasing alot more than creating. Here is a French spell of good posession then Sagnol loses it on the right side.
32mins. Govou tries to shake his defender and gets blocked. Claude Makelele get a Yellow Card for poking Van der Vaart in the head.
34mins. OOOOOhhhhhh, The French are attacking in full force at the moment with two very good chances within seconds of each other. One popped straight out in front of goal for Govou to knock it hard but directly at VDS. The second Ribery came down the left side with Makelele alongside. He tried to beat his defender and hit his shot on the ground directly at VDS again.
37mins. The ball comes across the Dutch goal and Henry tries to redrect it into the net, but doesn't get enough on it. Back on the otherside of the pitch Sneijder takes a crack at a long-range highlight shot. Coupet has no problem covering.
41mins. Some good play from the French through the middle middle. Sagnol puts a cross into the danger zone, just high for Thierry Henry. He should do better with those crosses.
43mins. OOOOOhhhhhh, Thierry Henry beats his man with one touch, back to goal and shoots it just wide on the right side.
45mins. Some more good play from the French and Malouda tries to find Govou in front of the Dutch goal. Van Bronckhorst tracks back well and sees the ball out for a goal kick. 1 minute added.
Half-Time

The Dutch were playing very well for the first 30 minutes but the French have found themselves, finally, and since have been in control of the match. The French have had four or five very good chances in the last fifteen minutes to level.

The second half should be a good one if the French actuall go for the the win. One thing I noticed, ALL of the French chances have come from Malouda today. He is having a hell of a game (except for his defensive display on Kuyt's goal...Ahem!) Let's see if he can create an equalizer or bag one himself.

45mins. Here we go with the second half. Arjen Robben has come on for Engelaar.
46mins. OOOOOhhhhhh, Henry absolutely skins Ooijer and crosses into the box. Ribery is a millisecond too late to put it away. Good play making from Thierry Henry there.
49mins. OOOOOhhhhhh, there should have been a penalty there on Ooijer! Malouda missed his chance to put it away then Henry takes a shot and Ooijer stops it with his arm. Unlucky there for the French.
51mins. YELLOW CARD for Ooijer. Not for the handball but for tussling with Henry in the center of the park.
53mins. OOOOOhhhhhh MY GOD, Thierry Henry misses a sitter alone against Van der Sar. He tries to pop it over the Dutch goalkeeper and proceeded to pop it clear over the net. I thought for sure that was a goal. It really should have been. Especially by Henry standards.
55mins. Goal scorer Dirk Kuyt is being replaced by Robin Van Persie.
59mins. GOOOOOOOOAAAAAAAAAALLLLLLLLL!!!! Ooooh weeeee, Ruud Van Nistelrooy does a bit of a spin move to save the ball from going out, up to Arjen Robben who takes it down the left side and crosses to Robin Van Persie who puts it home off a helpless Coupet! 2-0 Holland from the substitutes and a brilliant play from Ruud!
60mins. Malouda off, Gomis on
66mins. OOOOOhhhhhh, Van Persie strips the ball from the French defender on the left side and goes in alone on goal only to play a centering pass to nobody. He should have cracked that ball given the left foot that boy has.
68mins. Sagnol has a chance to put in a Cristiano Ronaldo type strike but he not that clever and loses the ball. He really had to one time that ball.
71mins. GOOOOOOOOAAAAAAAAAALLLLLLLLL!!! Thierry Henry puts home a at full stride from Sagnol on the right.
72mins. GOOOOOOOOAAAAAAAAAALLLLLLLLL!!!! Ooooh weeeeee, Arjen Robben does Thuram left and right then puts one top shelf on Coupet with no room to move!!! What a match! What a match! What a goal! What a goal!
74mins. Govou off, Anelka on
77mins. OOOOOhhhhhh, Ribery puts his free kick into the box and onto le tete du Henry, only for him to mis-time his jump and make a mess of it. Poor play from Henry.
78mins. Van der Vaart off, Bouma on
81mins. WOW! Makelele goes to put his shot away and...slips. Oh Mon Dieu!
83mins. OOOOOhhhhhh, DeJong put one over the French defense onto Ruud Van Nistelrooy's head and he puts it high over Coupet's reach but the French goalkeeper just gets back to slap it out of play. That was brilliant from Horseyface! Just brilliant! Pure goal poacher play there. Take your notes kids.
87mins. Ribery has a free kick in the danger zone and puts it over. No danger in that one though.
89mins. OOOOOhhhhhh, Arjen Robben has a go from the top of the box and hits his shot just wide right. All of Holland are singing now. Can you hear them? They are going to cause an earthquake in Switzerland.
90mins+. GOOOOOOOOAAAAAAAAAALLLLLLLLL!!!! Ooooh weeeeee, Ooooh weeeeee, Wesley Sneijder with a scud missle into the top left corner...on the turn! 4-1 to Holland! ENCORE SON, ENCORE!
90mins+. The referee blows the whistle.

Yet another thrashing for Holland. Van Basten has formed a team to be reckoned with I tell you! Look out Europe! After a spell sorting things out, there is a new kid on the block and he is wearing bright orange so you can't miss him!