Euro 2012: Netherlands vs. Finland – Match Preview: Will the Dutch shine without van Persie & Arjen Robben?
The European qualifiers have started, and all the teams are gearing up for the battles to take a final spot in the finals of Euro 2012. Most of the teams have already played their first round of matches. Some of the teams are looking good while others are starting to find troubles with their squads. However, there is still a long way to go, and the teams have ample time to bounce back into action.
The Netherlands is placed in Group E of the qualifiers alongside Sweden, Finland, Moldova, Hungary and San Marino. The Dutch were a surprise package of the 2010 World Cup, as they beat all odds to reach the final of World Cup. During this course, they beat many great teams, including the No. 1 ranking Brazilian side. The Netherlands showed a great and seemingly unbeatable attacking side of football, until they were eventually stopped by Spain in the final.
Right now, the Dutch are looking as one of the favourites for the Euro 2012. Even as other teams, including Spain and England, had big victories in their opening matches, the Dutch side remained one step ahead, as they won by 5-0 against San Marino. Klaas-Jan Huntelaar scored a hat-trick for his team while Dirk Kuyt and Ruud Van Nistelrooy scored one goal each in the match. This victory was particularly better than other teams because it was an away match and the Dutch showed no signs of weakness.
On the other hand, Finland was shown a tough time in their opening match against Moldova. Finland was playing their opening fixture away from home, which resulted in a loss by a margin of 2-0. During the match, the Finnish defender Sami Hyypia was shown a red card. This proved lethal for the visitors, who could not hold off the hosts’ onslaught with only ten men on the pitch.
This time, Finland would face a tougher test in shape of Netherlands. Again, the match would be played away from home, which means that a victory would be unlikely for the Finnish side. Netherlands, on the other hand, would like to count on the weakness of their opponents, winning by a big margin once again. The Finnish, on the other hand, would try to play for a draw, holding off the Dutch for the most part.
The main player of Netherlands would be Dirk Kuyt, the Liverpool forward. Kuyt has turned out to be a great player for his club and national side, as he was also the best player for his team in the opening fixture. Kuyt scored one goal and assisted in two other goals, emerging as the best player for his team. Also, Huntelaar scored a hat-trick against San Marino, which was also a great performance by the youngster who has not been playing consistently either on club level or in international fixtures.
Even with injuries to Robin Van Persie and Arjen Robben, the Dutch still would not be worried to win their match. Bert van Marwijk, the Dutch coach, still has a big squad at his disposal, so the injured players would be easy to substitute. In the absence of Van Persie, Huntelaar and Nistelrooy will be awarded with the responsibilities of strikers, and they are already in form by scoring in their opening matches.
The real trouble is being faced by Rafael Van der Vaart, who came as a substitute in his first match. Van der Vaart has recently gone to Tottenham Hotspur from Real Madrid, but he has still been unable to win his position in the Netherlands’ squad. His first outing proved good for him, as he came up with two assists against San Marino. But he is still wary of his coach and he believes that his position is still not consolidated in the Dutch squad. However, with another good performance, there is no doubt that he would regain the confidence, and would retain his place in the starting line-up.
The match seems to be one-sided, as Finland seems to have fewer options in order to counter an unstoppable Netherlands side. The Dutch look good to take the top position in their group, while the real battle would be for other qualifying spots.
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