Euro 2008 LIVEBLOG: Netherlands vs Romania

GROUP C	June 17th, 2045 CET,
Netherlands 2 VS Romania 0 Huntelaar 55′, Van Persie 87′

FULL TIME: Game over. Italy and Netherlands are through.

90+2′: The desire is just not there now. Romania is sapped, and they’re waiting for the end.

90′: We’re in injury time now, and there are three minutes left of stoppage.

89′: It was a nice run, and a hopeful one for Romania, but Holland are the team of this tournament so far. Good on them.

87′: That’s it. 2-0 to Holland. Van Persie gets his second of the tournament, and Romania is going home.

85′: Corner for Romania. Nothing. No finishing quality at all right now for Romania … really sad to watch, I have to say. Credit to the Holland backup defenders, though. They have done well today.

84′: Florentin Petre, on almost his first touch, gets a bicycle kick on the ball, but it goes high.

82′: Vennegor of Hesselink is on for Holland. The biggest name in Dutch football. Cue other long-name puns.

81′: Holland still has most of the possession, and all the chances. The Romanian counter has produced less than nothing.

79′: The resulting short free kick goes into the crowd, but there’s not a Holland head on it. The counter is coming. And it is quite a sad one. Terrible stuff from the Romanians, in terms of getting numbers in the box.

78′: Yellow for Chivu, who misses the next match in the miraculous circumstance that there is another match.

77′: Holland is more than happy to pass around and pass back. They’re playing with the patience that you get to keep when you’re leading.

75′: Contra takes a quick throw in. A good clear by the Holland center backs makes for another bunch of nothing for Romania.

74′: Piturca is looking at his watch on the Romania bench. Telling picture.

The KJH goal for Holland:

72′: Nicolae Dica is in for the largely ineffective Paul Codrea. Should have happened earlier, and as I see it, Dica should have started.

71′: The wings are doing their duty for Romania, but there is never anyone in the box to pass to. Horrible formation football from the Romanians right now.

69′: Ball goes back and forth between the keepers. Good for Holland, who will be happy with 1-0. The Romanians break things up, but again, a Romanian cross goes to no one, unless you count the opposing keeper.

67′: Another dangerous cross from Holland, but it comes to nothing. Unless the move for that first goal comes soon, I’m just not convinced it will come at all.

66′: The Romanian mids and strikers just can’t seem to do much right now. They need two, and one looks a bit long of a bet.

65′: Italy has gone up 2-0.

63′: Melchiot takes a switch and his first touch fails him. Ball is Romanian.

62: … and I’m back.

59′: I’ve got a break from the game, as my watching spot changes TVs. Just a minute. Sorry.

58′: Subs are coming on for subs for Holland. Melchiot on.

54′: Robben breaks up the easiest tournament ball to break up ever … the counter … GOAL HOLLAND. Huntelaar. That might very well be it for Romania, unless they have Turkish spirit in them and can mount a comeback.

53′: If anyone has a guess where that last Romanian pass was meant for, I’d love to hear it. That will not win this match.

51′: Romania survives a nice run of play from the Dutch, who look a bit more interested in goal than they did before the interval. Contra fouls Robben, getting a little handsy around the waist.

50′: Lobont saves a great shot that could well have been van Persie’s second of the tournament. Great, great save.

Mutu’s first half miss:

47′: Nice early pressure from the Tricolorii. That Mutu shot was a total waste, but it’s hard to tell when you take one like that.

46′: Mutu tries to see if Holland’s backup keeper has a pulse. I could have stopped that shot. Without my glasses.

46′: We’re back in action here, as Romania kicks off.

They’re back on the pitch, and its 45 to go for Romania.

Chant of the match: How wide do you want the goal? I wish I knew how to say it in either Romanian or Dutch. Go go google translator.

Halftime: Nothing much here yet. Some good chances, but no finishing for either side. If it remains an Italy win, Romania needs a goal. Mutu, Niculae and Codrea have all had chances. They’ll need some adjustment at the half, and Piturca needs to make it clear: score or go home.

44′: Rat to Codrea, and he has a perfect look. It still goes wide. Story of the night.

43′: Attacking foul on Robben. He gets his head on a cross, but then shoulders into two Romanian defenders.

42′: Codrea picks up the leftovers from a Holland clearance, but he isn’t up to it. The lack of aggression from Romania is really disappointing, given the situation.

41′: Contra works a ball out well from the Romanian backfield, but again, the link up is failing.

39′: The defenders have apparently not gotten the memo if the Netherlands aren’t trying for this one. Their center backs are playing well.

38′: Affelay is the latest Dutch player to miss a shot.

35′: The Dutch are setting up slowly, and their finishing is very suspect. It almost looks like that biscuit the Italians have been talking about. OH MY GOD. That is a very questionable miss. The Dutch certainly aren’t trying too hard to win this one, if they aren’t throwing it.

34′: Wow. The Dutch give up a golden opportunity, with an unnecessary extra pass. Contra counters with another wide shot. How wide do you want the goal?

33′: Offside on Mutu. The Romanian midfield needs to help out a bit.

32′: Things are picking up a little here. Both sides look hungrier, and the Romanians really believe they can steal a goal, after going just wide twice.

30′: The Romanian attack goes forward, and Mutu is JUST WIDE. The keeper is beaten … that was a great chance.

29′: First real touch from the backup Holland keeper, gathering up a long ball.

27′: ANOTHER wasted cross. The first touch from both Niculae and Mutu has been a bit suspect.

26′: Another missed header from van Persie. Dangerous stuff from the Arsenal man.

25′: The Italians have taken the lead, and Romania needs the win.

23′: Another wasted cross, and Mutu misses just. It was a deflection out.

22′: A very scary ball in for Holland ends in a handball, maybe two. The Romanian counter sees Contra down the right to Mutu. Nothing doing again, though.

20′: Nice little diving clearance to block a switch. Mutu playing defense. Crazy.

19′: Van Persie has the best chance so far. Engelaar sends in a cross, but its a little too much for van Persie, and its harmlessly over the net.

18′: The best prolonged move from Romania yet. Still alive as Rat sends the ball in, but it ends in nothing.

16′: A bit of tennis right now in the midfield. Nicolita makes a lovely run, then completely wastes it high.

15′: Romania working the ball down the left flank throw in by throw in. Once it switches right, it’s cleared. Handball on Huntelaar on the resulting counter.

13′: A dangerous looking Dutch cross goes in, but the central defenders for the Tricolorii have it well in hand. Chivu slides in and clears it.

12′: The Romanians are swarming on defense, but haven’t produced any real attack since the shot by Niculae.

11′: Bad news for France in the other match. Franck Ribery is stretchered off with what might be a broken leg. Awful.

8′: Free kick from Chivu goes badly high. Why not try Mutu on those?

5′: Poor touch from the Holland right wing, and it’s Romania’s ball. Again they work down the right, Niculae’s side, but it’s nothing doing.

5′: Marius Niculae goes for it from the right side, but its a little wide.

4′: It’s been all Holland on the ball for the first few minutes. Romania gets a free kick and finally a chance at something.

2′: The backup Holland attack gets their first touches on the ball, but they throw it back and reset.

0′: Arg. The liveblog just decided to up and erase itself. We have kickoff.