Holland kept their word and produced a competitive 2-0 win against Romania, which confirmed they finish Group C with a 100% record – and more importantly ensured Italy’s win over France would take the Azzurri into the quarter-finals.
Holland had made the expected changes but it was still a formidable line-up, with deadly Ajax striker Klaas-Jan Huntelaar getting his first playing time of the tournament. Romania, meanwhile, knew that a win would send them into the quarter-finals and for Adrian Mutu it would let him off the hook following his penalty miss against Italy.
It was the Fiorentina man who carved the first chance of the evening as his cross was met by Inverness CT striker Marius Niculae, but his effort went wide of the post. Nonetheless, it sent a warning to the Dutch that Victor Piturca’s side meant business.
The opening proceedings were played with a strange air of tension in Berne as Romania knew that a draw would take them through as long as there was no news from France and Italy’s game in Zurich.
The Dutch finally unlocked the Romanian defence in the 19th minute as the giant Orlando Engelaar floated a cross to the far post, but Robin Van Persie was unable to keep his header down as Marco Van Basten’s men found their opponents as difficult to break down as France and Italy had.
Shortly after, Mutu received his first real chance to atone for his spot-kick horror. Wriggling into space in the area he managed to unleash a shot, but the deflection looped across the goal rather than into the net. It was only a half-chance but could have been vital as moments later news filtered through to the stands that Italy had taken the lead against France. Romania were heading out if they, or France, did not get a goal.
On the half hour mark Mutu again found himself with the chance to swing the pendulum back in his favour, bearing down on goal he dropped his shoulder to win some space and unleashed a sweet shot that zipped just wide as Romania began to look the more likely to score.
However, a reminder was fired in the 37th minute of just how fragile their Euro future was when Huntelaar’s deft touch threaded in Robben, but the Real Madrid winger poked the ball just inches wide of the post. The more the Eastern European’s pushed for the vital goal the more vulnerable they became at the back.
Piturca would have been forgiven for thinking it was not his night as just before the interval a beautiful cut-back fell to Siena’s Paul Codrea but his effort flew high over Maarten Stekelenberg’s crossbar. 0-0 at the break, but Romania needed to step up a gear in the second half – although their own fate was still in their hands.
The Dutch carved the first chance of the second half a long ball right in to the area found Van Persie, who controlled and turned away from his marker majestically. However, his finish was low and easy for Lobont who palmed it round the post.
But the breakthrough came soon after, with a now traditional counter-attacking goal. Ibrahim Afellay’s in-swinging cross bounced through a forest of legs before finding the foot of Huntelaar who tapped home instinctively.
As news reached the Stade de Suisse of Italy’s second goal the task began to look insurmountable. With two goals required in the last 25 minutes it was going to take a miraculous revival for Romania to steal the Azzurri’s quarter-final berth.
The stuffing had been knocked from them though and chances began to become few and far between as the confident Dutch began passing the ball around expertly.
A further blow hit the under dogs as Cristian Chivu’s challenge on Tim De Cler earned him a yellow card on the fringe of the last ten minutes and would rule him out of the knockout round if his side could pull off a shock turn around.
As the game entered its last ten minutes though the sense or urgency took over for Romania and Italian nerves began to fray. A pinball moment in the Dutch area saw several white-shirted players shape to shoot before the chance finally fell for Florentin Petre, but his overhead kick went well over.
The period of pressure continued but it seemed too little too late, and the desperate scrambling of the attacking side was continually swamped by an orange defence that refused to be breached.
Eventually in the 87th minute Van Persie put them out of their misery as he collected a pass from Demy De Zeeuw, shook off Cosmin Contra and powered the ball beyond Lobont. Game over – there was no stitch up this time and Italy breathed a sigh of relief as their place in the last eight along with Holland was confirmed.
Holland: Stekelenburg; Boulahrouz (Melchiot 58), Heitinga, Bouma, De Cler; De Zeuww, Engelaar; Van Persie, Robben (Kuyt 62), Afellay; Huntelaar (Vennegoor of Hesselink 83)
Romania: Lobont; Contra, Tamas, Ghionea, Rat; Codrea (Dica 72), Chivu, Nicolita (Petre 81); Cocis, Mutu; M Niculae (D Niculae 59)
Ref: Busacca (Swi)
Ref From channel4.com
