Guus Hiddink's Russia outlasts and outplays the Netherlands to reach Euro 2008 semifinal
The Associated Press , Basel, Switzerland Sun, 06/22/2008 10:09 PM Sports
Guus Hiddink danced onto the pitch Saturday after Russia beat tournament favorite the Netherlands 3-1 i extra time to secure its first ever European Championship semifinal appearance.
He doesn't do that often.
Hiddink and his players earned the right to party with their shock win over the Netherlands that had been so dominant in its first three games at Euro 2008, scoring nine goals and conceding just one.
Hiddink's team will now meet Italy or Spain in the semifinals in Vienna on Thursday. If it is Spain, Russia has the chance - and judging by Saturday's performance, the skill and stamina - to avenge its humiliating 4-1 defeat in its tournament opener, when David Villa scored a hat trick.
For shock value, Russia's progress to the semifinals of Euro 2008 is reminiscent of South Korea's run - also engineered by Hiddink - to the last four of the 2002 World Cup.
"After 90 minutes, going into extra time, and then doing what they did, that is a tremendous achievement," Hiddink said. "I did not experience that very (often) in my career."
Hiddink said before the tournament that he was aiming for the quarterfinals, but once he got there he didn't want his young players to lie down and let the Netherlands overrun them.
There was never any question of that happening. From an opening surge in the first half to the final minute of extra time, it was Russia that dominated the match.
The team took a deserved lead through Roman Pavlyuchenko, squandered it when it allowed Ruud van Nistelrooy to poach a late equalizer, and then in the last period of extra time, poweed by the skills and stamina of Andrei Arshavin, it swamped the Netherlands with a Dutch-style, all-out attack.
Arshavin crossed for substitute Dmitry Torbinski to score from close range and then the Zenit St. Petersburg star rounded off his second straight man-of-the-match performance by firing a low shot through goalkeeper Edwin van der Sar's legs in a humiliating end to the Netherlands captain's international career.
"Maybe playing against the Dutch it was good to have a Dutch coach - and a very good coach," Russia midfielder Diniyar Bilyaletdinov said. "I've never played in a match like this."
Hiddink said he was not ready to worry about the semifinals so soon after the shocking victory.
"I have not had any thoughts about that," he said. "Going into quarterfinals being an outsider and reaching that goal is already a big achievement, and then going into next round and semifinal, I think the first thing we do is rest two days and then focus on the opponent."
As with all his successful campaigns - Hiddink has now taken the Netherlands and South Korea to World Cup semifinals and Russia to the same stage at the European Championships - the fitness of his players was key. Hiddink worked his squad hard at a long pre-tournament training camp in Germany to improve its stamina, and it is paying off on the pitch now.
Russia beat Sweden 2-0 in its last Group D match just three days before the quarterfinals, while the Netherlands' first-team players had rested for more than a week before Saturday's match at St. Jakob Park in Basel.
Even so, it was Russia who was freshest in extra time, while the Netherlands looked weary.
"Physically, they were a step ahead of us, they were justified winners," said Netherlands winger Arjen Robben, who missed the match because of a recurrence of a groin injury.
Hiddink has constantly claimed underdog status in this tournament, but that may be tough from now on after dominating such a strong Netherlands team.
"I don't know if we're favorites now," Bilyaletdinov said. "We played a great match. Hopefully, we can play another one next time - and the time after that."
Hiddink is confident his team can rise to whatever the next challenge is.
"This team is learning very fast in a short time," he said. "They are very coachable, very keen on what they have to do. And then they have the quality to play." (**) www.thejakartapost.com
He doesn't do that often.
Hiddink and his players earned the right to party with their shock win over the Netherlands that had been so dominant in its first three games at Euro 2008, scoring nine goals and conceding just one.
Hiddink's team will now meet Italy or Spain in the semifinals in Vienna on Thursday. If it is Spain, Russia has the chance - and judging by Saturday's performance, the skill and stamina - to avenge its humiliating 4-1 defeat in its tournament opener, when David Villa scored a hat trick.
For shock value, Russia's progress to the semifinals of Euro 2008 is reminiscent of South Korea's run - also engineered by Hiddink - to the last four of the 2002 World Cup.
"After 90 minutes, going into extra time, and then doing what they did, that is a tremendous achievement," Hiddink said. "I did not experience that very (often) in my career."
Hiddink said before the tournament that he was aiming for the quarterfinals, but once he got there he didn't want his young players to lie down and let the Netherlands overrun them.
There was never any question of that happening. From an opening surge in the first half to the final minute of extra time, it was Russia that dominated the match.
The team took a deserved lead through Roman Pavlyuchenko, squandered it when it allowed Ruud van Nistelrooy to poach a late equalizer, and then in the last period of extra time, poweed by the skills and stamina of Andrei Arshavin, it swamped the Netherlands with a Dutch-style, all-out attack.
Arshavin crossed for substitute Dmitry Torbinski to score from close range and then the Zenit St. Petersburg star rounded off his second straight man-of-the-match performance by firing a low shot through goalkeeper Edwin van der Sar's legs in a humiliating end to the Netherlands captain's international career.
"Maybe playing against the Dutch it was good to have a Dutch coach - and a very good coach," Russia midfielder Diniyar Bilyaletdinov said. "I've never played in a match like this."
Hiddink said he was not ready to worry about the semifinals so soon after the shocking victory.
"I have not had any thoughts about that," he said. "Going into quarterfinals being an outsider and reaching that goal is already a big achievement, and then going into next round and semifinal, I think the first thing we do is rest two days and then focus on the opponent."
As with all his successful campaigns - Hiddink has now taken the Netherlands and South Korea to World Cup semifinals and Russia to the same stage at the European Championships - the fitness of his players was key. Hiddink worked his squad hard at a long pre-tournament training camp in Germany to improve its stamina, and it is paying off on the pitch now.
Russia beat Sweden 2-0 in its last Group D match just three days before the quarterfinals, while the Netherlands' first-team players had rested for more than a week before Saturday's match at St. Jakob Park in Basel.
Even so, it was Russia who was freshest in extra time, while the Netherlands looked weary.
"Physically, they were a step ahead of us, they were justified winners," said Netherlands winger Arjen Robben, who missed the match because of a recurrence of a groin injury.
Hiddink has constantly claimed underdog status in this tournament, but that may be tough from now on after dominating such a strong Netherlands team.
"I don't know if we're favorites now," Bilyaletdinov said. "We played a great match. Hopefully, we can play another one next time - and the time after that."
Hiddink is confident his team can rise to whatever the next challenge is.
"This team is learning very fast in a short time," he said. "They are very coachable, very keen on what they have to do. And then they have the quality to play." (**) www.thejakartapost.com
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