Euro 2008: Last Man Standing

And so to the biggest game of the week and a chance to see not just one but possibly both of the World Cup finalists eliminated on the very same night.

While the frenzy of permutations in last night’s Group B game was enough to give statisticians a semi of their own, tonight it’s quite simple, whether it's France or Italy who win, they could both lose if a weakened Holland are overcome by the Romanians.

But should the Dutch deliberately lose this game thus eliminating two deadly rivals, one of whom they may face again in the semi? You just know if France or Italy spawn their way through, they’ll get some belief back, pick up momentum and probably go on to win it.

The Dutch will play their second string for sure, but they certainly won’t go so far as to hand Romania victory, even if it’s ultimately in their own self interest.

Or will they? We Spurters would kick ‘em while they’re down, but the Oranje may just be too sporting and nice to have truck with that kind of malarkey.

Both games are going to be fascinating to watch in oh-so-many many ways.

Euro 2008: Dutch Masters subdue Italian Stallions

The Euros finally sprung into action last night with a quality encounter between the Netherlands and Italy which finally ended the rather sluggish start to the tournament

3-0 to the Dutch masters and who’d have predicted that before the game?

Van the man’s opener? Controversial yes and almost certainly offside by most conventional definitions, except the chief of the referees committee Keith Hackett obviously.

After that Sneider’s breakaway strike for the second was truly one of the great team goals with van Bronckhorst clearing off his own line, the ball moving fluidly to the other end of the park and in the back of the net before the Italians react. One to add to Van Bastan’s classic against Russia in the annals of great Euro goals.

You have to feel sorry for Italy who actually played okay and went close a couple of times, but truly the force was with Holland and they could do no wrong.

Hep Hep Nederland!

Early contender for worst innovation of the tournament so far? Nope not the entire Match of the Day studio panel or indeed ITVs title sequence but undoubtedly the BBC's virtual goaliser or whatever the feck they call it. Utterly pointless: when you can get all the goals on the I-player replay anyway and it looks like a poor man’s FIFA 98.

Worst use of the license fee evah! It’s a good job we don’t bother paying the bast...

Ahem night all.