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Semi-Finals

• Thur. 29th June: Game 30
  Italy - Holland
  Amsterdam (18:00)

Match Preview:
Holland showed what an attacking force they can be by scoring six goals against Yugoslavia in the Quarter-final, even though Patrik Kluivert had his third goal taken away from him and given as an own goal. Now they come up against one of the defend and counter specialists, Italy.

Paolo Maldini played with Patrik Kluivert in AC Milan, and knows how to get up the tournament's leading scorer's back and make him feel uncomfortable. The Dutch will hope that Overmars and Zenden, on the flanks, will be enough to pull the Italians out of position and give Kluivert the slight space he cherishes in the middle.

While Holland will be cheered on by a full-house in Amsterdam, every time they go forward, they will be at risk from the Italian counter. Japp Stam will need to be extremely alert in the Dutch back line, if Holland are to make it to the final.

Both coaches, Frank Rijkaard and Dino Zoff, have played in an European Championship winning side -- Rijkaard in 1988 and Zoff in 1968; the only time their respective countries won the Championship. If either man can get his team to win the trophy this year, he would be the first to do so as player and then manager.

Playing attractive football is what the fans like to see, but when it comes to playing for the result, Italy seem to have it down to an art; winning three World Cups along the way (1934, 1938 and 1982).

The Italy Maldini has played for however, have a habit of loosing out on penalties (Italia90 World Cup semi-finals to Argentina; US94 final to Brazil; and France98 quarter-final to France). Heaven help Maldini if he has penalty shoot-outs to deal with again.

Statistics to Date:

-- Goals Scored:		-- Bookings:
Italy: (8) Filippo Inzaghi (2) Francesco Totti (2) Antonio Conte (1) Del Piero (1) Luigi di Biagio (1) Stefano Fiore (1)	Holland: (13) Patrik Kluivert (5) Frank de Boer (2) Marc Overmars (2) Boudewijn Zenden (2) Ronald de Boer (1) Own Goals (1)	Italy: Red Cards: (none) Yellow Cards: (4) Demetri Albertini (2) Antonio Conte (1) Gianluca Zambrotta (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)

Italy Team:
12-Francesco Toldo,
5-Fabio Cannavaro, 13-Alessandro Nesta, 15-Mark Iuliano,
17-Gianluca Zambrotta, 14-Luigi Di Biagio, 4-Demetri Albertini, 3-Paolo Maldini,
18-Stefano Fiore,
9-Filippo Inzaghi, 10-Alessandro del Piero.

Holland Team:
1-Edwin van der Sar,
15-Paul Bosvelt, 3-Jaap Stam, 4-Frank de Boer, 12-Giovanni Van Bronckhorst,
11-Marc Overmars, 7-Philip Cocu, 8-Edgar Davids, 5-Boudewijn Zenden,
10-Dennis Bergkamp, 9-Patrick Kluivert.

Referee: Markus Merk (Germany).

First Half:
No goals in the first-half but six yellow cards; two of them for Zambrotta and an early bath for the Italian, in the 34th minute.

Two minutes after Italy were reduced to ten men, Holland are awarded a penalty; Nesta pulling on Kluivert's shirt.

Frank de Boer hit's the spot kick too soft and Toldo dives to his left to stop the ball.

Van der Sar had a quiet first-half in the Dutch goal, as the Dutch played a great deal of possession football; trying to play the Italians at their own game.

Bergkamp hit the bottom of the left post in the fifteenth minute, and Van Bronckhorst chipped into the Italian area for Kluivert six minutes later.

The Dutch fans were reasonably quiet even though their team had more of the play.
Half-time: 0-0

Second Half:
With almost an hour gone, Holland get another penalty. A harsh call on Iuliano who seems to get to the ball first, but Davids tumbles.

This time Kluivert steps up, sends Toldo the wrong way but hits the left post. The Dutch Prince is laughing in the stands.

Italy may have lost Zambrotta, but Lady Luck has taken his place. The Dutch have been firing blanks and Toldo has always been well-positioned in the Italian goal.

Into Extra-Time:
Holland have already missed two penalties against an Italian side reduced to ten men. Can anyone score in the next 30 minutes?

The answer is no and the game is to be decided on penalties.

PENALTIES: (3-1)

Italy: Di Biagio -- Goal (top left) Bessotto -- Goal (bottom right) Totti -- Goal (in the middle) Maldini -- Saved 3

Holland: F. de Boer -- Saved Stam -- Over Kluivert -- Goal (bottom right) Bosvelt -- Saved 1

The hosts are out and Italy will play France in the Final of Euro2000.

Man of the Match: Francesco Toldo.

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