Euro Qualifiers Half Time Report: Netherlands vs Sweden
Netherlands were looking to take on Sweden in their qualifying game for the Euro 2012. However prior to the game, the Dutch midfield duo of Wesley Sneijder and Mark Van Bommel were hit with suspected injuries.
However the Dutch side were not planning on being too concerned about the two players, as prior to the game they had managed to win the three games they had played so far and were currently maintaining a hundred percent record.
If Netherlands were to win tonight's game, they will manage to pull a six point lead at the top of their group. However the Dutch coach Bert van Marwijk did not plan on taking any chances and was more than aware of the threat that the Swede's possessed, the manager was caught saying the following prior to the game: "Sweden are very good opposition, we have a lot of respect for them and they have many qualities,'' he continued.
Despite that, the game was going to be Netherlands to win.
The match kicked off with Netherlands, who were the obvious favorites on the night, looking to go all out from the very first minute. In fact the early pressure from the home side was so great, that it lead to a goal for them in the fourth minute.
Rafael Van Der Vaart, managed to pick out Klass-Jan Huntelaar with a pass from the right side of the area and the striker unleashed a brilliantly timed low shot across the face of the goal, from twelve yards out to give the home side the early lead.
From then on, it was all Holland as they tried to double their advantage early on. The team went on to take a number of shots at the Sweden goal, but didn't manage to get any shots into the back of the net, following the opening goal.
Sweden on the other hand, despite being dominated, tried to pull a goal back, but didn't look like getting one either.
It wasn't all good news for the home side as near the end of the opening thirty minutes, Dirk Kuyt was forced out of the game due to an injury that he picked up. The player who was brought on to replace the player was Jeremain Lens.
Netherlands however did not seem to be affected by the injury to Kuyt, as they soon went on to score their second goal on the night. Wesley Sneijder picked out Ibrahim Afellay with a pass and the player struck a very good left footed strike, which ended up in the back on the net on the thirty seventh minute mark.
That was all the action from the first half, as the referee blew the whistle to signal the end of the first forty five minutes, with Netherlands taking the two goal advantage with them to the half time break.
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