Italy v Holland (29 June 17:00 BST)

I don't think this match could have had a more unfair outcome! holland were all over italy for the entire game and if it hadn't been for their never ending bad luck and lack of penalty taking skills they would have walked away with a place in the finals. wot happened to kluivert?? one match he's man of the match scoring 4 goals and the next match all his skills go down the drain and he can't do anything right! as for the penalty shoot out, i on't know wot happened to holland. they just couldn't put the ball in the net, and as for italy, everyshot was a great one! holland were incredibly unlucky and deserved to win. because of the outcome ...  Read the complete review

Oh dear oh dear oh deary me. What went wrong here? I was hoping for another storming victory for Holland, culminating in a thrilling final against France, but we are denied by Italian tenacity. I thought they were doomed when Zambrotta got sent off for trying to kill Zenden, but the Italians hunkered down and held on. After Holland’s two penalty failures (one from an excellent save by Toldo), it started to become clear that they were on the way out. Oh how I wailed and bemoaned the fate of the Dutch, who have always promised so much excitement but not always delivered. But to be honest, they were pretty rubbish. They seemed to lack that extra edge that ...  Read the complete review

What a great game this was it had all The drama a great football match has a sending off two missed penaltys in normal time a penalty shoot out and the team that looked like they were going to win the match being knocked out.I must admit i thought Holland did deserve to win the match and Italy were lucky to reach the final.What were Holland doing though letting 3 of the defenders having 3 penaltys in the shootout it is ridiculous especially J.Stam and Bosvelt two people who could not take penaltys to save there lives.Why did'nt they let E.Davids and M.Overmars have a penalty then Holland might of won.Well i look forward to the Final ...  Read the complete review

On Weds morning I was very much of the opinion that it would be a France-Holland final, if not by footballing skill, by the choice of the promoters. By Wednesday afternoon, after France had proceeded past Portugal (the neutral's favourite) courtesy of a golden-goaltime penalty - and that took some brave refereeing - I was positive.So what happened here? A 0-0 draw after Holland fail to capitaliseon 2 penalties and a sending off. I couldn't help but think of thetv film "11 men against 11", where the referee is bribed to let ateam win, he awards a penalty, which is missed, then orders a ...  Read the complete review

Ok, so Holland are out and for the neutral it's not the final we'd have liked to see, but the Dutch can only blame themselves. Any team that misses 5 penalties, 2 of them normal time, after playing for over and hour against 10 men can only look at themselves for why they went out. You have to give credit to the Italians, reduced to 10 men at around the 30 minute mark, they still found time for the odd foray into the Dutch area, keeping goalie Van der Saar awake. Yes, for the golden goal extra time it was all Holland, but who can blame Italy for defending? Wouldn't you? They must have been shattered, out manned for that long. Perhaps they ...  Read the complete review