Euro 2008 Update « World Sport News

Euro 2008 Update

22Jun08

Netherlands 1-3 Russia (aet)

Russia’s Andrei Arshavin was the architect as they dumped Netherlands out of Euro 2008 after extra time. Russia took the lead in normal time when Roman Pavlyuchenko volleyed home, only for Ruud van Nistelrooy to head in an 86th-minute leveller for the Dutch. But the brilliant Arshavin tormented Netherlands throughout and he crossed for Dmitri Torbinski to prod home. Arshavin then sealed a semi-final spot in the 116th minute as he ran through and fired low past Edwin van der Sar. Russia almost had to play with 10 men in extra time after Denis Kolodin was sent off by Lubos Michel in stoppage time, only for the referee to reverse his decision after a chat with one of his assistants. It was the first European Championship quarter-final that did not have to be decided by penalties after going into extra time and was just reward for another spellbinding performance from the young Russians and their destroyer-in-chief Arshavin. The 27-year-old, who missed Russia’s first two Euro 2008 games through suspension, was in electric form and as Netherlands tired in the extra period, they could not get near him. It was a triumph too for Russia’s Dutch coach Guus Hiddink and his side will now meet either Spain or Italy in Vienna on Thursday in the semi-finals.
BBC SPORT

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