Robin van Persie and his illustrious teammates could be heading home far sooner than expected. So could Cristiano Ronaldo and co…
So often at major tournaments big favourites fail to live up to expectation, often it is the French and Italians who fail at the first hurdle.
Tonight at Euro 2012 we have a different proposition, the Dutch team – many people’s favourites and World Cup runners up from two years ago – could find themselves boarding the plane home – as could Portugal.
Holland played some superb football against Denmark, but as we all know that counts for little if you cannot score goals. Denmark, 100/1 outsiders going into the tournament surprised onlookers by scoring mid-way through the first half and holding on for a memorable 1-0 win.
It was a game everybody had expected the Dutch to win, not because Denmark were substandard, but because Holland’s team is made up of some truly exceptional players.
It is team game and not about individuals, but at the last World Cup they were excellent, knocking our Brazil en route to the final, and a number of players – Van Persie, Huntelaar, Robben, are all coming off superb club seasons.
As World Cup 2010 showed, you cannot write a team off after one game – Spain lost their opener 1-0 to Switzerland and went onto win the tournament. Yet the Euros have stronger groups making recovery from an opening loss difficult, especially in the ‘Group of Death’.
Spain had the luxury of bouncing back from that defeat against Honduras- Tonight brings an entirely different proposition for the Dutch – Germany.
The Germans did not set the world alight with their football in the first game, but as always they were ruthlessly efficient, denying the twin Portuguese threat of Ronaldo and Nani, and grinding out a 1-0 win thanks to a Gomez header. Portugal are always difficult to play against, and they will fancy their chances against a potentially more open Dutch side tonight who have to go for it.
We would be surprised if Germany tore Holland apart in the same way they did to Argentina, winning 4-1, in the World Cup, but a win is highly possible in what is a real grudge match between the two nations.
Germany can clinch qualification with a win, while Holland could be eliminated with a loss. Losing does not automatically mean Holland go out, that would depend on the result of the other game in Group B.
If Portugal defeat Denmark then they are still in with a shout of qualification, but a draw between the two sides or a Danish win would spell the end for the Dutch.
A draw between Holland and Germany may not even be enough for the Dutch if Denmark win their game or draw with Portugal, as a draw between Denmark and Germany in the final game would carry both teams through.
Portugal will want to bounce back against the Danes, but it may not be so easy against a side which finished above them in qualification for the tournament, and who are full of confidence after their opening win. They will be keen to get something out of the game.
Holland being eliminated after two games may be unthinkable for the many who tipped them before the tournament- but it is a distinct possibility right now, and potential reality come later this evening.
Will Holland beat Germany tonight? What are your predictions?
image: © jikatu
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