Dutch dumped out by Russia
21 Jun 2008 - 22:15:05
Guus Hiddink masterminded Russia's 3-1 victory against Holland as the outstanding Andrei Arshavin helped to send Marco van Basten's side to a quarter-final defeat.
The experienced Dutch coach's tactics were perfect as Holland started poorly and were unable to lift the tempo of the match in stifling conditions.
Russia dominated proceedings from the first whistle and almost opened the scoring after only five minutes when Yuri Zhirkov's rasping free-kick forced Edwin van der Sar to concede a corner.
Two minutes later Igor Semshov's cross found the unmarked Roman Pavlyuchenko who headed over the bar when he should at least have tested van der Sar.
Holland were all at sea in the opening stages and their first effort on goal did not arrive until the 27th minute when Orlando Engelaar's shot from the edge of the area flew wide.
On the half-hour Rafael van der Vaart's free-kick almost found Ruud van Nistelrooy at the back post but the Real Madrid striker was unable to get his toe to the ball.
When Russia responded, Arshavin curled in an effort that was heading for the corner of the net until van der Sar turned the ball away.
The veteran Dutch keeper had to be at his best to beat Denis Kolodin's 40-yard effort away before the same player was only just off target with a shot from even further out.
Van Nistelrooy then showed a quick turn of pace to make the space for a shot and forced Igor Akinfeev to make his first serious stop but there was no Dutch player on hand to turn home the rebound.
Just before half-time a bad mistake by Kolodin let in van der Vaart who drilled in a shot that was parried by Akinfeev.
Van Basten decided to bring Robin van Persie on for the ineffective Dirk Kuyt at half-time and the Arsenal man almost made a dramatic introduction to the game, lashing a first-time effort narrowly wide.
But it was Russia that deservedly took the lead in the 56th minute with a great goal as Sergei Semak's cross was volleyed in to the net by Pavlyuchenko
Hiddink's side almost added a second goal in the 70th minute when van der Sar made a fine one-handed save to keep Aleksandr Anyukov's effort out.
But, with four minutes left, the Dutch equalised. Wesley Sneijder's free-kick was superb, Russia's defending was dreadful and van Nistelrooy was on hand to head the ball into the back of the net.
There was drama in the 90th minute when the referee sent Kolodin off for a foul on Sneijder, the Russian's second yellow card offence of the evening.
However, the official then changed his mind after the linesman ruled that the Dutch player had earlier failed to keep the ball in play.
Both sides had chances to win the game in extra-time with Pavlyuchenko going close when his shot came back off the crossbar.
A penalty shoot-out loomed until Arshavin got to the byline in the 112th minute and turned the ball across goal where substitute Dimitriy Torbinskiy acrobatically clipped a shot in to the net.
There was still time for Arshavin to add a third goal when he slipped the ball between van der Sar's legs to send Russia in to the semi-finals and a clash with either Spain or Italy.