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Euro 2008 Pre-match Analysis: Netherlands vs Russia Live Online

June 21, 2008

Euro 2008 Quarter-final
Teams: Netherlands vs. Russia
Date and Time: Saturday, 21 June 2008, 20:45 CET
Venue: “St.Jakob-Park”, Basel, Switzerland
Match Official: Lubos Michel (Slovakia)

The Mentor vs the Student

As both teams go head to head in a clash that promises to be a full of excitement and drama; the stage is set for the mentor Hiddink and Russia to do battle with his student Van Basten and a Dutch team that has proven to be Euro 2008 hottest team in scintillating form and possible championship contenders.

Hiddink started his international coaching career with Holland, having been appointed in 1994 to lead them to the European Championship quarter-finals two years later, as well as all the way to the World Cup semis before stepping down in ’98, following two dramatic penalty shoot-out eliminations to Brazil.

His exploits with modest South Korea and Australia enhanced his reputation as one of the best in the world in his line of work, but now he finds himself in front of one of the biggest challenges of his career.

Marco van Basten never been afraid to say how highly he thinks of Hiddink’s work, but he’s certainly not done badly himself. Should he guide the Dutch past his mentor’s team, he could still become the sole person to have lifted the Henri Delaunay trophy both as a player and as a coach.

A Look at the teams

Netherlands

Boulahrouz has declared that he will play despite his personal tradgedy, Van Basten has no problems with team selection. And although he made nine changes to his starting XI against Romania compared to the match before, it is possible that the lineup will be far more similar to the Italy and France game. Robin van Persie, Arjen Robben and Klaas-Jan Huntelaar, are all coming back to full fitness and will be looking to cement their place in the team.

Possible Starting XI (4-3-3): Ed van der Sar – Mario Melchiot (Boulahrouz / André Ooijer), Ooijer (Boulahrouz), Joris Mathijsen, Gio van Bronckhorst – Nigel de Jong, Ollie Engelaar, Rafael van der Vaart – Van Persie (Dirk Kuyt), Ruud van Nistelrooy, Wes Sneijder (Robben).

Russia

Much like Holland, Russia has no notable selection concerns and will be able to field their strongest possible team, obviously including Andrei Arshavin, who deservedly won the Man of the Match Award against the Swedes.

Possible Starting XI (4-5-1): Igor Akinfeev – Aleksandr Anyukov, Sergei Ignashevich, Denis Kolodin, Yuri Zhirkov – Sergei Semak, Igor Semshov, Konstantin Zyryanov, Diniyar Bilyaletdinov, Arshavin – Roman Pavlyuchenko.

PLAYERS TO WATCH

Netherlands

Robin van Persie

Coming off an injury that saw him missing most of the season for Arsenal; now he’s injury-free right when it matters the most, the Arsenal star is back with a vengeance to show his true colors. With substitute appearances in the first two matches of the group stage, he scored against France and again versus Romania, in which he started. This could be the game he’s remembered for.

Russia

Andrei Arshavin

The Russian Player of the Year of both 2005 and 2006 added spice to Russia in the Sweden game after missing the two before due to suspension. And indeed the fact that Hiddink included him in the 23-man party despite that ban only shows the Dutchman’s faith in his abilities to lead the team; he assists as well as scores. Should he play well the Russians could be in with a fight.

PREDICTION

The Dutch are certainly the favorites in this encounter, with a host of players in scintillating form and a frightening wealth of talent at their disposal. Having disposed of world champions Italy and perennial powerhouse France comprehensively, the Dutch have made themselves Euro 2008 favorites. But perhaps they won’t go through that easily, against a side with a never-say-die attitude which also enjoys its own passing game.

Netherlands – Russia 3-1

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