Flying Dutch thrash world champions Italy - June 10, 2008

Netherlands 3
Van Nistelrooy 26, Sneijder 31, Van Bronckhorst 79
Italy 0

Netherlands romped to a stunning 3-0 win over world champions Italy in the first clash of the heavyweights at Euro 2008 in the Stade de Suisse last night.

A controversial goal from Ruud van Nistelrooy, a superbly executed volley by birthday boy Wesley Sneijder and a breakaway third from the head of Giovanni van Bronckhorst late in the game produced the first major upset of this year's finals.

"To win 3-0 against Italy, a team with so much experience and quality in their team, we didn't expect that," said Netherlands coach Marco van Basten.

"It was a truly good team performance from the whole team."

The win was the first by the Dutch over Italy since the 1978 World Cup finals and put them top of Group C after France and Romania drew 0-0 in the day's first game in Zurich.

It was the biggest margin of victory by Netherlands over Italy as they consigned their devastated opponents to their worst loss at a European Championship finals.

Italy's shocked coach Roberto Donadoni, who had presided over their heaviest tournament defeat since the 4-1 loss to Brazil in the 1970 World Cup final, just wanted to look ahead.

"I don't want to say that it's the worst Italy performance of my time in charge," he said. "We let in two goals by making mistakes. We haven't started well but we must look forward."

The match in Berne turned in five dramatic minutes in the first half when Marco van Basten's side scored twice, although the first should not have been allowed to stand.

Striker Van Nistelrooy was clearly offside when he turned in a shot from Sneijder, who was celebrating his 24th birthday, after 26 minutes.

Despite vehement Italian protests to the linesman, Swedish referee Peter Frojdfeldt ignored their calls to the delight of the vast swathes of orange-clad Dutch fans in the stadium.

"There is no sense in thinking now whether it was offside or not," said Donadoni. "I accept it... There's no point crying about it. He (the referee) made a mistake. He's human."

The Dutch had more to cheer five minutes later when they doubled their lead with the best goal of the tournament so far.

It began when a corner by Andrea Pirlo at the other end of the field took a deflection off a Dutch player before being cleared off the line by Van Bronckhorst.

He then ran 50 metres to continue the move after Sneijder and Rafael van der Vaart had taken it out of the Dutch defence.

Van Bronckhorst sent a huge cross-field pass to Dirk Kuyt who headed the ball back for Sneijder to volley home brilliantly between Italian keeper Gianluigi Buffon and his near post.

Italy had chances and Luca Toni should have given them the lead after 12 minutes but headed wide, while Antonio Di Natale's shot was smothered by Edwin van der Sar before the break. They must now improve quickly if they are to reach the last eight.

Netherlands
E. van der Sar; A. Ooijer, K. Boulahrouz ('77 John Heitinga), J. Mathijsen, G. van Bronckhorst; N. de Jong, O. Engelaar; D. Kuyt ('81 I. Afellay), R. van der Vaart, W. Sneijder; R. van Nistelrooy ('70 R. van Persie).

Italy
G. Buffon; C. Panucci, A. Barzagli, M. Materazzi ('54 F. Grosso), G. Zambrotta; M. Ambrosini, A. Pirlo, G. Gattuso; M. Camoranesi ('75 Antonio Cassano), L. Toni, A. Di Natale ('64 A. Del Piero).

Referee: Peter Frojdfeldt (Sweden).