QUARTER FINAL

HOLLAND v YUGOSLAVIA

Holland 6 Yugoslavia 1

It had to be Kluivert didn't it?!

Tcchh! 6-1!! I couldn't bear to watch the 2nd half on the "big tv" - the commentator was absolutely appalling. And the goals kept on coming - and the Yugs continued to lay down. What was up with them today? Up until Kluivert's first goal, they were at least equal with the Dutch, in fact, could quite easily have gone in front, had Van Der Sar not saved Mijatovic's worthy effort. What happened to their fighting spirit? I understand that they were trying to improve their image after being criticised for "cynicism", "unsportsmanlike behaviour", "for having a dark side" - but a few elbows and dives wouldn't have gone amiss in this game!! Spoiling tactics; that's what you needed lads. Oh, groan. Milosevic's goal was a stunner though, wasn't it?? Actually, the first shot by Mijatovic, which Milosevic scored from the rebound of, could've been the goal of the tournament, had it not come off the post - but that was all there was to remember the Yugoslavs for in this game. Deeply disappointed in them.

If you want to read about the glorious oranje magnificent "sixy" football - then you must read the "Times" report below. You won't get it from me!!

Teams and things

HOLLAND (4-4-2): 1 E van der Saar (Juventus; sub: 22 S Westerveld, Liverpool, 65min) - 15 P Bosvelt (Feyenoord), 3 J Stam (Manchester United), 4 F de Boer (Barcelona), 19 A Numan (Rangers) - 11 M Overmars (Arsenal), 7 P Cocu (Barcelona), 8 E Davids (Juventus), 5 B Zenden (Barcelona; sub: 16 R de Boer, Barcelona, 79) - 10 D Bergkamp (Arsenal), 9 P Kluivert (Barcelona; sub: 21 R Makaay, Deportívo La Coruña, 59). Substitutes not used: 18 E de Goey (Chelsea), 2 M Reiziger (Barcelona), 6 C Seedorf (Internazionale), 12 G van Bronckhorst (Rangers), 13 B Konterman (Feyenoord), 14 P van Vossen (Feyenoord), 17 P van Hooijdonk (Vitesse Arnhem), 20 A Winter (Ajax). Booked: Bosvelt.

YUGOSLAVIA (4-3-1-2): 22 I Kralj (PSV Eindhoven) - 13 S Komljenovic (1FC Kaiserslautern), 14 N Saveljic (Bordeaux; sub: 19 J Stankovic, Real Mallorca, 55), 11 S Mihailovic (Lazio), 5 M Djukic (Valencia) - 16 D Govedarica (Waalwijk), 7 V Jugovic (Internazionale), 17 L Drulovic (FC Porto; sub: 18 D Kovacevic, Juventus, 69) - 10 D Stojkovic (Nagoya Grampus Eight) - 9 S Milosevic (Real Zaragoza), 8 P Mijatovic (Fiorentina). Substitutes not used: 1 M Korac (Obilic), 12 Z Cicovic (Las Palmas), 2 I Dudic (Red Star Belgrade), 6 D Stankovic (Lazio), 15 G Bunjevcevic (Crvena Zvezda), 21 A Nadj (Real Oviedo).

Match report from the Times

Orange tide sweeps Holland to semi-finals

FROM MATT DICKINSON FOOTBALL CORRESPONDENT IN ROTTERDAM

HOLLAND 6 YUGOSLAVIA 1

THE greatest individual feat in the history of the European championship was almost a distraction yesterday, a small footnote. This was a performance of such collective brilliance by Holland that, even after four goals, Patrick Kluivert might have counted himself fortunate to be voted man of the match.

Inspired by an awesome display of creativity by Dennis Bergkamp, the Dutch turned the Feyenoord Stadium into a delirious orange bowl. The supporters sang "Here we go" and "You'll never walk alone", but the chants are all they have borrowed from the English game. Compared with Kevin Keegan's plodding team, this was a different sport.

After suffering three dismissals in as many matches, Yugoslavia appeared to have lost their stomach for a fight, but nothing should detract from a Holland performance that was almost flawless. Kluivert may have scored the goals but, in the pace of Zenden and Overmars, the linking of Bergkamp and the effortless control of Davids and Cocu, Holland had 11 players on the top of their form.

They recognised as much in the way that they celebrated each of Kluivert's finishes, mobbing the creators as readily as they did the goalscorer. Frank Rijkaard, the coach, described his team as "one big family" last week, and those who have gossiped about internal rivalry could not have looked more misguided.

The tournament is shaping up even better than the host fans dared to hope, despite some carping from outside the camp. Johan Cruyff has taken his sharp tongue to the performances of both Italy and Holland, and he is welcome to his criticism. Hopefully, he will allow the rest of us to savour the semi-final between them in peace.

It will be a fascinating clash of styles in Amsterdam, with Italy attempting to suffocate the attacking raids that demolished Yugoslavia. "They are a defensive team who are strong on the counter-attack," Rijkaard said, "so it will be a different challenge."

Holland were far too slick for Yugoslavia, who, after the wild ride of their group matches, suddenly looked unwieldy and cumbersome. Savo Milosevic's attempt to hold the line was all too English in its lack of subtlety and Jaap Stam and Ronald de Boer could not have seemed more at ease. How bizarre, then, that it was Yugoslavia who might have taken the lead after 14 minutes, when Milosevic turned inside Bosvelt and, opting not to shoot with his weak right foot, slipped the ball to Mijatovic. With time to pick his spot, the Fiorentina forward should not have allowed Van der Saar the chance to parry.

What should have been a moment of encouragement for Yugoslavia had precisely the opposite effect. Jolted to life, Holland had advanced into their opponents' penalty area within 30 seconds and, for long periods of the game thereafter, it was as if they never left. Mijatovic, Stojkovic and Milosevic could only stand on the halfway line and watch their house burn.

The goals came as incessantly as the bang of the Dutch drums and all were of the highest quality, both in creation and execution. It was a measure of the gifts that were laid before Kluivert that he should need only six touches to claim his four goals.Milosevic: consolation goal


Bergkamp and Davids provided the first two with passes that whipped behind a square defence and on to Kluivert's toes, while Bosvelt and Zenden struck the crosses for the second pair, which the forward needed only to guide in with one touch. "I am delighted for Patrick, but it really was a team performance," Rijkaard said. "You cannot score four goals on your own."

Kluivert had the grace to withdraw after an hour and allow others to have a shot. They proved no less expert as Marc Overmars, who showed no ill-effects from being switched to play on the right flank, scored a spectacular fifth in the 77th minute. Bergkamp squared the ball to him 20 yards from goal and, after teeing up the ball, he volleyed it in. The Arsenal winger added a second as time ran out, when Cocu's shot rebounded from the post and he was first to react.

There was still time for Milosevic to tap the ball past Sander Westerveld, a replacement for Van der Saar, after Mijatovic had struck the crossbar, but the former Aston Villa striker showed no glee at his fifth goal in the competition. The goal came when half the players already appeared to be heading to the dressing-room. Yugoslavia could not wait to escape the scene of their humiliation but, for Holland, the orange flames burn bright.