WARSAW, POLAND (AP) - The Netherlands are playing Denmark in their first group game at the European Championship.
Here is a running account of Saturday’s developments. All times are local to Poland.
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1957: Denmark deserve credit for a stubborn display. They were difficult to break down and looked dangerous when they attacked. But the last time the Dutch lost their opening game at the European Championship, they ended up winning the tournament in 1988.
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1955: Shock result here at the Metalist Stadium as the Dutch are defeated by a resilient Denmark. Michael Krohn-Dehli took the only chance that fell his way in the first half while the Netherlands missed chance after chance. They will feel they should have had a penalty but the Dutch only have themselves to blame for not winning the match. If the 2010 World Cup runners-up lose to either Germany or Portugal, they will be out.
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PhillipsIan: First shock of Euro 2012 as Dutch beaten 1-0 by Denmark. Can the perennial underachievers get back into the tournament now? (via Twitter)
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1951:Sneijder’s delivery hits Huntelaar on the back of the head and the ball drifts wide of the far post. Huntelaar was furious not to get a penalty a couple of minutes ago when he tried to knock the ball past jacobsen. The ball did hit his hand, but the referee felt it was accidental.
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1945: Dennis Rommedahl comes off for Denmark and is replaced by Tobias Mikkelsen.
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1943: Seven minutes left for the Netherlands to find a goal and Dirk Kuyt comes on for defender Gregory van der Wiel. Simon Poulsen for Denmark is booked for time wasting over a throw-in. William Kvist is also booked for handball as he slips over whilst turning and uses his hand to keep the ball close to him.
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1940: Robben does well to keep the ball in play down the left and skips into the penalty area. He knocks the ball past Poulsen and onto his left foot before blazing over the bar. Another opportunity goes begging.
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1936: We are in the 78th minute here and the Netherlands are still losing 1-0, despite creating a host of chances and dominating the game.
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1934: What an opportunity for the Netherlands and what an astounding pass by Sneijder, who plays it from the halfway line with the outside of his boot into the path of Huntelaar, who tries to lift it over Andersen, who does well to block. Van Persie tries to pounce on the rebound but Andersen blocks again, before going down holding his face. Play is stopped but the Denmark goalkeeper is ok to continue.
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1932: Van der Vaart drives the ball across the six yard but Jacobsen is there to meet it and he puts it out for a corner. Denmark now make a change, Christian Eriksen replaced by Lasse Schone.
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(at)andrewb1970 RVP value is going down with every scuffed shot (via Twitter)
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1930: Two changes are imminent for the Dutch with Huntelaar and van der Vaart ready and waiting ominously on the sideline.
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1928: Comment From THuggins: It’s not looking good for the Netherlands, particularly with Germany and Portugal to come. From the 2010 World Cup final to the Euro 2012 scrapheap?
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PhillipsIan: Big pressure on the Dutch now at Euro 2012 with less than 25 minutes left. Also in their group: Germany and Portugal. (via Twitter)
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1925: Yellow card for Mark van Bommel, who goes in late on Niki Zimling. He can’t complain about that, the Netherlands captain.
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1922: Sneijder picks out the run of Robben into the area with another great pass, but Robben heads wide. They need to start taking their chances if they are going to take anything here, the 2010 World Cup runners-up.
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1920: Twitter simonhaydon:Smart spot from lino in Netherlands vs Denmark game. Good officiating from Slovenian team (via Twitter)
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1918: Dirk Kuyt, Luuk de Jong and Rafael van der Vaart are also on the bench for the Dutch as well as Huntelaar. An hour has been played here and Denmark lead 1-0.
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1915: And they look dangerous themselves going forward, Denmark. Simon Poulsen hits the byline and pulls the ball across the face of the Dutch goal. It evades everyone but Afellay puts the ball out for a corner, which is wasted.
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1912: Afellay now goes close, a low effort flashes wide of Andersen’s post. The Dutch win a corner soon after but Denmark hang on and clear.
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1909: PhillipsIan: If you ask me, Robin van Persie’s got too much on his mind. Sign a new contract with Arsenal - and the Euro 2012 goals will flow. (via Twitter)
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1909: Van Bommel strikes the post now for the Netherlands, the second time they have done so this match, after a stinging drive from from outside the penalty area. Oh dear Robin van Persie, far from his finest moment. Sneijder finds him with a delightful through ball and the Arsenal forward looks to strike first time with his lethal left foot, but kicks the air and falls over. That was another good chance for van Persie, brings a save from Andersen moments later with a right-footed drive.
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1907: at)rob171171 (via Twitter) Holland’s formation just not working and Denmark are aware of this and capitalising on this.
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1905: The Netherlands pass their way into the penalty area and Robin van Persie tries to force his way past Simon Kjaer. He doesn’t manage to but it is a sharp start to the second period for the Dutch.
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1903: Denmark get the second half underway. The players are back out on the pitch and there are no changes to either side.
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1854: You have to wonder if Netherlands manager Bert van Marwijk will be tempted to bring on Klaas-Jan Huntelaar at the start of the second half. He has seen his side create numerous chances but fail to hit the back of the net. The Netherlands will feel frustrated not to have scored in the first half, let alone be behind. They have missed several good opportunities, with Robin van Persie being the main culprit. Michael Krohn-Dehli scored for Denmark with a terrific finish and has turned in a lively first half performance.
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HALF TIME: NETHERLANDS 0 DENMARK 1
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Comment From THuggins Robin van Persie’s team are playing all the football, and not winning. Probably not an unfamiliar feeling for the Arsenal striker.
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1842: Krohn-Dehli tries his luck again for Denmark, testing Stekelenburg with low effort which brings a solid save. He has been impressive in the first half, Krohn-Dehli. Afellay goes close again, with tricky footwork getting him past Daniel Agger. He unleashes a right-footed drive which flies over the bar. Five minutes to go until half time. So close to levelling the scores as the Netherlands strike the post through Arjen Robben. It is a terrible ball out from the goalkeeper Andersen. The ball lands at the feet of Robben who gallops forward, shifts the ball to his left foot and curls a low shot into the post.
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1837:Denmark push forward again and the ball bounces towards Nicklas Bendtner, who fails to get it under control with his back to goal. That looked threatening for a moment, there and Denmark seem strong going forward.
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PhillipsIan: Here’s the atAP Euro 2012 Live Blog. Want your say on the match? Tweet to (at)simonhaydon and (at)phillipsian https://apne.ws/Kp9t9e%0A (via Twitter)
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1833: Afellay had to go off for treatment after that knock from Vlaar. He comes back on after being checked by the physio but Vlaar went into him with some force. Accidentally, of course. Robben sends over a wicked corner and Rob Vlaar escapes his marker and flicks the ball across the goal from the near post. Nobody is there to poke in for the Netherlands though. Denmark survive.
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1825: Denmark lead against the run of play. Krohn-Dehli recieves the ball and weaves his way past two players before slotting the ball through the legs of Stekelenburg. It is a shock lead but a superb finish.
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1824: Michael Krohn-Dehli scored for Denmark.
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1820 The Netherlands are playing possession football here at the Metalist Stadium and in 27C (81F) heat, you can’t blame them. Denmark will tire first if they keep having to chase the ball. Big chance for the Netherlands. Van Persie releases Robben down the right who breaks into the penalty area. He shapes to shoot before seeing Sneijder unmarked in the center. In the end, Robben is caught in two minds and by the time he tries to play the ball to Sneijder, Lars Jacobsen slides in and pokes the ball back to his keeper from close range.
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1818: 15 minutes in and the Netherlands look the brighter side. The best chance so far fell to Van Persie, who failed to convert. Free-kick for the Netherlands, about 25 yards from goal. Sneijder runs over it, leaving Van Persie to strike but he slips in his run up and the wall blocks. The Netherlands force a corner from the resulting play, but Denmark clear.
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1813: They are looking dangerous on the attack, the Netherlands. Van Persie picks out the run of Sneijder with a superbly weighted ball, but Sneijder can’t get enough power on the header as he tries to direct it across goal. Afellay tries his luck again for Holland, forcing his way into the left side of the penalty area with a couple of step-overs. He cuts in on his right foot but curls over the bar.
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1810: Denmark win a free-kick from around thirty yards out. Christian Eriksen takes but hits it straight into the wall. Chance for Van Persie and he should have scored. Robben pulls the ball across the six yard box and it hits the heel of Simon Kjaer. The ball spins to Van Persie who hits it first time wide of the goal from around ten yards.
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1807:
Van Persie wins a header, knocking it back towards Ibrahim Afellay. The ball takes a fraction too long to come down for him though and there was enough pressure on him from the defender as he shot high and wide.
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1803: Agger wins a header from a free-kick, which is taken with comfort by Stekelenburg. Willems later attempts a shot which flies over. It was close, though and Willems is clearly not fazed by the big stage.
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1802
The Netherlands kick-off. The pitch looks in very good condition and there is a sea of orange in the stadium. Dutch fans have turned out in big numbers.
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1800: They’re off.It’s a warm evening in Kharkiv.
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1758: Stephan Andersen is in goal for Denmark after first choice Thomas Sorensen was ruled out of the tournament through injury. Daniel Agger captains Denmark and Mark van Bommel is captain of the Netherlands. The players shake hands and kick-off is imminent. The Netherlands are in their traditional orange kit whilst Denmark are in white. According to his official website, Huntelaar has scored 31 goals in 52 games for the Netherlands. He was top scorer in qualifying, too, with twelve goals in eight games.
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1753: Denmark substitutes: Lindegaard, Christian Poulsen, Bjelland, Okore, Schone, Silberbauer, Pedersen, Wass, Jakob Poulsen, Kahlenberg, Mikkelsen, Schmeichel.Netherlands substitutes: Vorm, Mathijsen, Bouma, Kuyt, Huntelaar, Schaars, Strootman, Luuk De Jong, Narsingh, Boulahrouz, Van der Vaart, Krul.
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1752: Striker Klaas-Jan Huntelaar is on the substitutes bench for the Netherlands.
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1750: Four stewards hospitalized after Russia v Czech Republic. https://www.winnipegfreepress.com/sports/soccer/russia-fans-at-euro-2012-attack-stewards-after-czech-match-4-stewards-hospitalized-158294485.html
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1745: There you have it. At 18 years and 71 days, Jetro Willems becomes the youngest player to compete at a European Championship. Willems breaks the record set by Enzo Scifo of Belgium, who was 18 years and 115 days. Scifo played against Yugoslavia during Euro 1984.
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1741: Teams: Denmark: Andersen, Agger, Jacobsen, Kjaer, Poulsen, Eriksen, Krohn-Dehli, Kvist, Zimling, Bendtner, Rommedhal. Netherlands: Stekelenburg, Heitinga, Van der Wiel, Vlaar, Willems, Afellay, De Jong, Sneijder, Van Bommel, Robben, Van Persie.
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