Euro 2008 Netherlands Vs Romania Highlights Video

A below-strength Netherlands side ended Romania's hopes of advancing to the quarter-finals as Marco van Basten's side eased to a 2-0 victory in Berne.

Van Basten made nine changes to the side that had thrashed France 4-1, although both Arjen Robben and Robin van Persie started and it was the Arsenal man that was the star of the show.

He deserved his late goal after Klaas-Jan Huntelaar had opened the scoring in the 54th minute following a tame first half.

The Dutch had already won through to the last eight after cruising to victories against Italy and France, but it was a crucial game for Romania who had the chance to knock both the 2006 World Cup finalists out.

After a tight opening to the match, the first chance was not created until midway through the first half when Huntelaar looked set to shoot until Cosmin Contra got a foot in to deny the highly-rated Ajax striker.

When Romania attacked, Adrian Mutu and Contra tried their luck with long-range efforts that failed to trouble Maarten Stekelenburg in the Dutch goal.

Robben missed a great chance to break the deadlock eight minutes before half-time. The Real Madrid man poked a shot past Bogdan Lobont, but the ball dribbled agonisingly wide of the goal.

Just before half-time Romania should have taken the lead when Razvan Rat pulled the ball back from the byline for Paul Codrea, who fired over the bar when he surely had to hit the target.

The Dutch stepped up the pace at the start of the second half and, in the 50th minute, van Persie did brilliantly to control a long ball forward. The Arsenal man then turned Gabriel Tamas and seemed certain to score, only for Lobont to pull off a stunning save.

However, four minutes later van Basten's side deservedly scored when a quick counter-attack ended with Huntelaar turning the ball home from ten yards out.

With news coming through from Zurich that Italy were beating ten-man France, the rest of the match petered out as Romania wilted.

The Dutch strolled through the rest of the second half and added a second goal with three minutes left, when the outstanding van Persie lashed a shot past Lobont after controlling the ball perfectly on his chest.

Holland will now play either Sweden or Russia in Saturday's quarter-final, while Romania are heading home.

Full Main Highlights (08:10 min)

1-0 Klaas Jan Huntelaar 54′

2-0 Robin van Persie 87′

Netherlands squad has 'clicked' - Robben

Netherlands 2-0 Romania
14(6) Shots (on Goal) 8(1)
11 Fouls 11
2 Corner Kicks 1
2 Offsides 4
51% Time of Possession 49%
0 Yellow Cards 1
0 Red Cards 0
1 Saves 3

Netherlands: Stekelenburg, Boulahrouz (Melchiot 58), Heitinga, Bouma, De Cler, De Zeeuw, Engelaar, Afellay, Van Persie, Robben (Kuyt 62), Huntelaar (Vennegoor of Hesselink 82).
Subs Not Used: Van der Sar, Timmer, Ooijer, Mathijsen,Van Bronckhorst, van Nistelrooy, Sneijder, De Jong, Van der Vaart.

Goals: Huntelaar 54, Van Persie 87.

Romania: Lobont, Contra, Tamas, Ghionea, Rat, Cocis, Codrea (Dica 72), Chivu, Nicolita (Petre 82), Marius Niculae (Daniel Niculae 59), Mutu.
Subs Not Used: Popa, Stancioiu, Marica, Sapunaru, Moti, Cristea, Radu.

Booked: Chivu.

Att: 32,000

Ref: Massimo Busacca (Switzerland).

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Euro 2008 France Vs Italy Highlights Video

World champions Italy snatched a place in the quarter-finals of Euro 2008 by beating ten-man France 2-0 in Zurich to pip Romania to second place in Group C.

France coach Raymond Domenech brought in Francois Clerc and Eric Abidal in defence, while Karim Benzema took the place of Florent Malouda.

Italy's Roberto Donadoni recalled Gennaro Gattuso in midfield and Antonio Cassano partnered Luca Toni in attack.

Italy started brightly and, after Toni had wasted a clear chance with just five minutes played, France suffered a bitter blow when Franck Ribery was stretchered from the field with a nasty injury.

Straight away France had an escape when Christian Panucci met Andrea Pirlo's near-post corner and Claude Makelele and Gregory Coupet combined to keep the ball out.

With 24 minutes played France's plight got even worse as a long ball over the top let in Toni, who was brought down by Abidal, who was red-carded for a professional foul.

Pirlo made no mistake from the penalty spot, driving the ball high into the net to Coupet's right.

With half-an-hour played Toni wasted two chances in the space of a minute, slicing one chance wide when clean through and then driving an even better opportunity wide of goal with just Coupet to beat.

On the stroke of half-time Fabio Grosso drove in a superb left-foot free-kick and Coupet did brilliantly to tip it onto the post and prevent France from falling 2-0 down.

France started the second half brightly, with both Jeremy Toulalan and Thierry Henry forcing saves from Buffon, but just past the hour mark Italy doubled their lead with a sucker-punch.

A long-range free-kick from Daniele De Rossi took a huge deflection off Henry who was on the end of the defensive wall and left the wrong-footed Coupet totally beaten.

Benzema almost threw Les Bleus a lifeline 16 minutes from the end when he found space 25 yards out and curled in an excellent shot which Buffon tipped away at full stretch.

Right at the death Toni almost added a third when he fired goalwards from 20 yards, but Coupet made a superb save to tip the ball onto the outside of the post.

However, that made no difference to the final outcome and Romania's 2-0 defeat to the Netherlands in Berne ensured that Italy progressed to the last eight, where they will take on Spain minus the suspended Pirlo and Gattuso.

Full Main Highlights (14:15 min)

0-1 Andrea Pirlo (pen) 25′

0-2 De Rossi 62′

Desailly calls for new French generation

France 0 - 2 Italy
13(7) Shots (on Goal) 13(5)
22 Fouls 23
3 Corner Kicks 3
3 Offsides 1
50% Time of Possession 50%
4 Yellow Cards 3
1 Red Cards 0
4 Saves 5

France: Coupet, Clerc, Gallas, Abidal, Evra, Govou (Anelka 66), Toulalan, Makelele, Ribery (Nasri 10), Benzema, Henry, Nasri (Boumsong 26).
Subs Not Used: Mandanda, Frey, Vieira, Malouda, Thuram, Squillaci, Gomis, Sagnol, Diarra.

Sent Off: Abidal (24).

Booked: Evra, Govou, Boumsong, Henry.

Italy: Buffon, Zambrotta, Panucci, Chiellini, Grosso, Pirlo (Ambrosini 55), De Rossi, Gattuso (Aquilani 82), Toni, Perrotta (Camoranesi 64), Cassano.
Subs Not Used: Amelia, De Sanctis, Gamberini, Barzagli, Del Piero, Di Natale, Borriello, Quagliarella, Materazzi.

Booked: Chiellini, Pirlo, Gattuso.

Goals: Pirlo 25 pen, De Rossi 62.

Att: 25,000

Ref: Lubos Michel (Slovakia).

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