The Hindu : Sport / Football : Czechs escape to victory

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Monday, Jun 21, 2004

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Czechs escape to victory

AVEIRO (PORTUGAL), JUNE 20. The Czech Republic registered one of the great comebacks in European Championship history on Saturday, recovering from 2-0 down to beat the Netherlands 3-2 with a goal two minutes from time.

The result means the Czechs will advance to the Euro 2004 quarterfinals while Holland is now facing long odds — and another chapter has been added to the blossoming rivalry between the two sides.

Substitute Vladimir Smicer scored the deciding goal in the 88th minute, but the game kept up a breakneck pace throughout, and fans were treated to a rare display of open, attacking play by both sides.

``For us it was a fantastic day, evening, and night,'' said Czech midfielder Pavel Nedved, voted `man-of-the-match'.

The Dutch opened scoring in the fourth minute, as winger Arjen Robben found Wilfred Bouma unmarked at the left post and he headed it cleanly in.

In the 19th minute, Clarence Seedorf sent Robben down the left flank with a beautiful through pass, and Robben crossed to Ruud van Nistelrooy who finished for 2-0, apparently sealing victory for the Dutch.

But soon after, Czech coach Karel Bruckner brought in Smicer for defender Zdenek Grygera to enliven the Czech attack. According to Van Nistelrooy, the Dutch then lost control of the game never to regain it.

``I feel sick,'' said the Manchester United star after the game.

``I'm devastated and very angry at the same time. I don't know what I feel.''

In the 23rd minute, Milan Baros picked off a bad pass by Giovanni van Bronckhorst near midfield. He ran to the goalbox and passed to Jan Koller, who beat Dutch 'keeper Edwin Van der Sar from close range.

``Our first goal came after their mistake and that boosted our self-confidence,'' said Czech striker Milan Baros. ``We knew that if we beat the Dutch we qualify and we went for it.''

Chances rained for both sides, and Czech 'keeper Petr Cech stopped a Van Nistelrooy header with his knees in the 56th minute.

Van der Sar made a dazzling save eight minutes later on a blast by Vladimir Smicer from near the penalty spot. Van der Sar appeared to use telepathy to find and then clear the ball wide of the goal: full stretch, one hand.

In a decision that he later admitted was ill-advised, Dutch coach Dick Advocaat substituted Robben after 58 minutes.

``I feel terrible,'' Robben said afterward. ``I was playing well.''

The Czech equalised in the 71st minute off a beautiful combination. Pavel Nedved crossed from the left. Koller controlled the ball off his chest, and Baros scored with a soaring shot into the corner from 18 metres.

The writing was on the wall when Johnny Heitinga was ejected from the game in the 75th minute with his second yellow card. He fouled Nedved, who fell easily, and the Dutch had to finish the final quarter with 10 men.

On the winning goal, Baros's shot was deflected by Dutch goalkeeper Edwin van der Sar. Karel Poborsky collected the deflection and passed to Smicer who tapped the ball in from close range.

``To be frank I didn't pay attention to our opponents," said Czech coach Bruckner. ``I just pushed our boys to play our style so our opponent would have to come to terms with us.''

Dutch coach Advocaat called the game ``the match of missed chances.''

``We had everything under control and could have decided it,'' he said.

``We should finish off the chances at this level. If you get in front of the goal three or four times, what more do you need?''

The victory means the Czechs have six points in Group `D' followed by Germany (2), the Netherlands (1) and Latvia (1).

The Netherlands must beat Latvia next week in the final Group `D' game and Germany tie or lose to the Czechs in order for the Dutch to advance.

``It's clear that we didn't walk away with what we should have tonight,'' Seedorf said. ``But we played well, barring a few decisive bad moments, and we still have a chance so we have to try to take it.''

The Czech-Dutch rivalry has a colourful and lengthy history. After the Dutch helped boot the Czechs from Euro 2000, the Czechs bested the Dutch in Euro 2004 qualifying.

But the Dutch survived qualifying play-offs and the Czechs were dismayed to see them in Group `D.'

The teams have been paired again in qualifying for the 2006 World Cup in Germany.

Doubtful goals: Houllier

Meanwhile, the UEFA's technical committee felt at least one of the Dutch goals should have been disallowed. The Netherlands' second goal in the loss to the Czech Republic was scored from an off-side position while the first one was debatable, said Gerard Houllier, a member of the technical committee.

On the goal which gave the Dutch a 2-0 lead, striker Van Nistelrooy was walking back from a clear off-side position when winger Robben broke through. Van Nistelrooy immediately turned back and tapped in the cross.

``He was in an off-side position and he stayed in an off-side position. It is not as if he came back from behind the defenders,'' said Houllier. ``It should not have been allowed. It is as simple as that. If I was the manager of the Czech Republic I would've been very disappointed.''

Houllier said that as soon as a player is gaining an advantage from a dead off-side position the goal should be disallowed. ``And he was obviously gaining a huge advantage.''

The first goal also stirred controversy. Defender Wilfred Bouma headed in a cross while Van Nistelrooy was standing close by to tap in any possible rebound.

``The first goal is a bit of the same,'' said Houllier. ``He is in an off-side position in the six-yard box and you can see that the goalkeeper is a bit distracted.''

Line-ups:

Holland: Edwin van der Sar, Jaap Stam, Wilfred Bouma, Giovanni van Bronckhorst; Phillip Cocu, Edgar Davids, Johnny Heitinga, Clarence Seedorf (Rafael van der Vaart, 86th); Andy van der Meyde (Michael Reiziger, 79th), Ruud van Nistelrooy, Arjen Robben (Paul Bosvelt, 58th).

Czech Republic: Petr Cech, Zdenek Grygera (Vladimir Smicer, 25th), Tomas Ujfalusi, Martin Jiranek, Marek Jankulosvski; Tomas Galasek (Marek Heinz, 62nd), Karel Poborsky, Tomas Rosicky, Pavel Nedved; Milan Baros, Jan Koller (David Rozehnal, 75th). — AP

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