The 2010 World Cup runners-up will be gunning to commence their European Championship voyage on a high when they take on Morten Olsen’s side.
Netherlands will kick-off their Euro 2012 campaign against http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Denmark-c2884 at Metalist Kharkiv Stadium on Saturday, June 9. It will be the opening match of the Group B, which is touted as the toughest pool in the competition including
the likes of http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Germany-c2904 and Portugal apart from the Oranje and the Danish Dynamite.
Netherlands
After performing brilliantly in the European Championship qualifiers, finishing at the apex of the Group E, the Flying Dutchmen will be looking to replicate their good showings at Euro 2012 in http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Poland-c2983 and Ukraine.
The Oranje are heading into the game on the back of two successive victories in friendly encounters against http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Northern-Ireland-c2972, 2-0 and 6-0, respectively.
Bert van Marwijk, http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Netherlands-c753 head coach, has expressed confidence regarding his side’s chances at European Championship, and has confessed that they will try to play aggressive football.
“We want to attack, but it has to be done in a responsible way. At the World Cup, we played large parts of games in our opponents' half. That means you need to be very patient, because if you force yourself too much – and we know
the level of football at the Euros – then you know you will face dangerous counterattacks, and we don't want that”, Van Marwijk said while talking to the media.
Denmark
Since their 1992 Euro triumph in http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Sweden-c3015, the Danes have not managed to perform brightly in any of the major competitions apart from their 1995 FIFA Confederations Cup victory.
However, the Danish Dynamite have been staging consistent performances in the recent years, and are expected to secure some surprising results in the upcoming competition in Poland and http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Ukraine-c3032.
Following their impressive showings in the Euro 2012 qualifying round, finishing at the summit of the Group H ahead of http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Portugal-c2984 with an overall record of 8 played, 6 won, 1 drawn and 1 lost, the Red and Whites are brimming with
confidence to make progression to the quarter-final stage at European Championship.
However, De Rod-Hvide knows that it will be an uphill task to emerge victorious against the likes of Germany, Netherlands and Portugal.
The Danes head coach, Morten Olsen, has stressed that his side will try to put in their hundred percent against one of the best teams in the competition.
“It's a game against one of the tournament favourites from our point of view, so of course Netherlands are favourites, but that doesn't mean that we are going to throw in the towel and say that we don't stand a chance”, Olsen was
quoted as saying to the media.
Team news
Netherlands
Van Marwijk will have to do without the services of http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/John-Heitinga-c18862 at the centre of the defence.
Probable line-up: Stekelenburg; van der Wiel, Heitinga, Vlaar, Willems; van Bommel, http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Wesley-Sneijder-c36799, Robben; Huntelaar.
Denmark
Olsen will have a full strength squad available at his disposal for the opening game.
Probable line-up: Andersen; Jacobsen, Kjaer, Agger, http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Christian-Poulsen-c9114, Kvist; Rommedahl, Eriksen, Krohn-Dehli; Bendtner.
Players to watch
http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Klaas-Jan-Huntelaar-c21175 – Netherlands
The Schalke hit-man has been in tremendous goal-scoring form since the summer of 2011. Netting an impressive 29 goals in 32 Bundesliga appearances in the recently concluded season, the former Real Madrid ace will be looking to
replicate his league performances at Euros as well.
http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Christian-Eriksen-c9074 – Denmark
The Ajax playmaker is expected to craft most of the Danish Dynamite attacks. The 20-year-old had an impressive 2011/12 season at Amsterdam Arena, netting seven goals while providing 19 assists in 33 Eredivisie matches, and would
be keen to play an integral role in securing surprising results for his side in the group stages.
Prediction
Although, both sides would be gunning to begin their Euro 2012 expedition with a win, the Danes do not stand a chance on paper against the Oranje. It will be an intriguing battle between the two sides, and the Flying Dutchmen are
expected to emerge victorious at the end, as they boast many match winning players in their squad.
Predicted score-line: Netherlands 2-1 Denmark
Tags: