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Quarter-Finals

• Sun. 25th June: Game 27
  Holland - Yugoslavia
  Rotterdam (18:00)

Match Preview:
Holland's confidence must be growing now that they've won all their group matches and their Road to the Final stays in the Netherlands. But it hasn't stopped some of their critics; most notably, Johann Cruyff.

It seems the former maestro may even be a little envious of this Holland side; sensing their victory on home soil, with towns painted orange in their name. If Holland win the European Championships, Frank Rijkaard will be the new Messiah of Dutch football; the modern fans forgetting quickly Cruyff's sour words.

Cruyff's Holland invented total football, but the game has changed and teams have more pressure on them not to lose. Sometimes the win is more important than the football, as players struggle with the pace of super athletes in the game; resorting to shirt-pulling and theatrics.

If Holland win their remaining matches, they'll be the champions; no matter how unimaginative, according to Johann Cruff, they play. Not many people talk about all the penalties that decide important matches, just who won at the end of the day. If the game is creative, then that's football ecstasy. For the supporters and players, the win is the most important.

Yugoslavia will be a physical challenge to the Dutch, and it will be interesting to see if they can finish a game with eleven players for once -- in all three group matches, Yugoslavia have had a player sent off. It's cost them vital points but they are a win away from playing Italy in the semi-final and perhaps a telegram from Serbian president, Slobodan Milosevic; if they haven't had a couple already. Politics and sport shouldn't mix but some of the top people in sport do rule like little dictators.

For Yugoslavia this game will be about getting wider exposure for their country, scoring political points for Slobodan Milosevic back home, and above all, to get people to accept them in Europe. Yugoslavia are not outcasts in the world and sport is a great arena for ambassadors; healing wounds and moving forward.

As they prepare to avenge defeat at the hands of the Dutch in France98, two Yugoslavia players will be missing due to suspension: Slavisa Jokanovic and Mateja Kezman -- sent off for a reckless challenge, less than a minute after coming on as substitute.

In the 1-2 Toulouse defeat, two years ago, it was Dennis Bergkamp who should have taken a shower in the 52nd minute; for a Zidane style stamp on Zoran Mirkovic. Davids killed a boring game in the last minute, while Mijatovic missed a penalty by slamming the ball on the understand of the bar.

The question on everybody's mind is whether the bad boys of Europe can do good in a match with a final-like atmosphere. It will need cool heads and controlled tempers. Yugoslavia have been involved in two very extraordinary games in this tournament and it would be nice to see this as a hat-trick.

Yes the game will be hard, it may be a battle of styles, but it's not a war. A win for Yugoslavia may make the team unpopular in Holland, but if they outplay the Dutch and Savo Milosevic adds to his goal tally of four, then football will be the story when people read about Yugoslavia in the news. What a nice change that would be.

Statistics to Date:

-- Goals Scored:		-- Bookings:
Holland: (7) Frank de Boer (2) Patrik Kluivert (2) Boudewijn Zenden (2) Ronald de Boer (1)	Yugoslavia: (7) Savo Milosevic (4) Ljubinko Drulovic (1) Deja Govadarica (1) Komljenovic (1)	Holland: Red Cards: (none) Yellow Cards: (8) van Bronkhorst (2) Cocu (1) Davids (1) F. de Boer (1) Konterman (1) Reiziger (1) van der Sar (1)	Yugoslavia: Red Cards: (3) Jokanovic (1) Mihajlovic (1) Kezman (1) Yellow Cards: (11) Jokanovic (3) Mihajlovic (2) Jugovic (1) Komljenovic (1) Nadj (1) Saveljic (1) Stankovic (1) Stojkovic (1)

Holland Team:
1-Edwin van der Sar,
19-Arthur Numan, 3-Jaap Stam, 4-Frank de Boer, 15-Paul Bosvelt,
7-Philip Cocu, 8-Edgar Davids, 10-Dennis Bergkamp, 11-Marc Overmars,
5-Boudewijn Zenden, 9-Patrick Kluivert.

Yugoslavia Team:
22 - Ivica Kralj,
5-Miroslav Djukic, 11-Sinisa Mihajlovic, 16-Dejan Govedarica, 13-Slobodan Komljenovic,
17-Ljubinko Drulovic, 7-Vladimir Jugovic, 10-Dragan Stojkovic, 14- Nisa Saveljic,
8-Predrag Mijatovic, 9-Savo Milosevic.

Referee: Jose Maria Garcia-Aranda (Spain).

First Half:
No bookings in the first 45 minutes and Yugoslavia still have all their men on the pitch, but they go into the break two goals down.

Holland made a couple of early probes to see if Yugoslavia remained solid; a tight opening.

Van der Sar was called to make a few saves then halfway through the first-half Holland applied a little more pressure. Yugoslavia still held together, until Kluivert flicked the ball back to Bergkamp in the 24th minute and turned to run into the box. Bergkamp returned the ball and Kluivert ran on to score past a helpless Kralj.

Holland looked more confident going forward; Overmars, Davids, Bergkamp and Kluivert all combining to trouble the Yugoslavia defenders.

Mihajlovic had a dipping free-kick saved low on the ground while Overmars and Zenden were sending the ball over the bar at the other end.

Seven minutes before half-time, Holland extended their lead. Kluivert ran behind Mihajlovic to toe in a chip from Davids.
Half-time: 2-0

Second Half:
Another two goals in three minutes, from Patrik Kluivert, put Holland in the driving seat.

3-0. Bosvelt gets around the back of Stojkovic on the right and crosses into the area, for Kluivert to sidefoot in his hat-trick; 51mins. Although the referee credited Kluivert at the time, UEFA watched television replays and decided that the ball had gone in off Dejan Govedarica, at the near post -- an own goal. With this ruling, Patrik Kluivert didn't become the first player to score four goals in the European Championship finals.

4-0. Zenden on the left. Heads down and around the back of Saveljic to set up Kluivert for his fourth; 54mins. This would later be deemed, only his third goal.

5-0. Dennis Bergkamp crosses to Overmars who sets himself up for a volley into the top left-hand corner; 78mins.

6-0. Cocu's shot hits the inside of the right post, bounces out to the left side of the area for Overmars to plant his second goal; 90mins.

6-1. Two minutes into stoppage time and Mijatovic hits the bar. The ball bounces into the path of Savo Milosevic to fire in a consolation goal for Yugoslavia and take his personal tally to five. Sadly, he'll score no more in this tournament.

Result: Holland 6 -- Yugoslavia 1

Man of the Match: Patrik Kluivert; even though he was replaced on the hour.

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