The Dutch certainly did piss on the reigning World Champion Italian squad in Berne at the Euro2008 UEFA championship. The Netherlands, the Clockwork Orange team, ended a 30-year wait for a victory over Italy in emphatic fashion as they began their Group C campaign with a rousing 3-0 win against the world champions in Berne. In the other match in Group C, the so-called Group of Death, Romania played France to a draw sans goals.
However, the Dutch made up for the lack of goals in the Romania v France match by scoring thrice inflicting upon the Azzuri their worst ever defeat in the competiton. Ruud van Nistelrooy side-footed the Oranje ahead in the 26th minute, a lead doubled superbly by his Real Madrid CF colleague Wesley Sneijder soon after. Edwin van der Sar, becoming only the third player to appear in four UEFA European Championships, then kept the advantage intact, leaving Giovanni van Bronckhorst to complete the scoring with a headed third in the 79th minute. The Netherlands can now look forward with confidence to Friday’s meeting with France, while Italy must pick themselves up from a worst-ever EURO defeat when they face Romania. If Italy loses, it is likely three and out for the Italians.
Group D gets underway tomorrow with the defending UEFA champs Greece v Sweden and Spain v Russia.
For more on the matches and the tournment, please visit Euro2008.