Euro 2008 Report: Italy 0-3 Netherlands

This was the first game between the so called 'Big Three' in the 'Group of Death' and boy was it special.

After enduring the Romania v France bore draw, football fans yearned for this game to live up to its billing. What we got was even better than what was on the menu as the Netherlands and Italy served up a right old treat.

The question surrounding the Netherlands was whether they would be able to produce the free-flowing attacking football that had been made famous by Dutch teams of the past. This question was well and truly answered in the affirmative as they ran riot.

They started off the busier side and could've, nay should've had a penalty when Ruud van Nistelrooy was felled by Italian keeper Buffon. The former Manchester United man chose to stay on his feet instead of going to ground. It was honest but at the same time foolish.

He was to open the scoring not long afterwards though despite being well offside. Wesley Sneijder's effort was turned in and after two glances over towards the referee's assistant, who kept his flag down, van Nistelrooy celebrated with his team mates.

The Italians were incensed and they had every reason to be. Panucci was off the field behind the goal and the head of the Austrian refereeing committee Gerhard Kapl insisted that because of this, van Nistelrooy had been played onside. Well when a man of his idiocy makes it to the top of his profession then there is hope for us all. Panucci was off the field of play and making no attempt to get back on to the field. Until he steps on the white line he is out of the game, so the goal should never have stood.

Then though we were to witness one of the great goals, there is no over-egging it, the goal was that good. It came from an Italian corner that was cleared off the line by Giovanni van Bronckhorst. The ball then fell to Dirk Kuyt who controlled it and laid it off to Van Der Vaart. Kuyt pegged it upfield and Van Der Vaart travelled with the ball. He had three runners, left, right and straight ahead of him.

He fed in the runner to the left, it was none other than van Bronckhorst who had cleared the ball off the line. He swept a cross field ball to Kuyt who headed it back towards the near post where Wesley Sneijder volleyed home at the near post to finish one of the greatest goals that I have ever witnessed. 17 seconds from off the line at one end to a goal at the other. Quite breathtaking.

The Italians may of rightly felt aggrieved at the award of the first goal but the second was a thing of beauty. They cleared their heads and came out for the second half with renewed vigour. Luca Toni was sent clear through mid-way through the period and the flag stayed down. Toni's control was good and with Van Der Sar in his face, he needed a cool head just to lob it into the net but he fired it over the bar.

Andrea Pirlo then hit a rasping free-kick that was quite brilliantly saved by the veteran keeper. From the save the Dutch broke again, they weren't going to repeat what they'd done in the first half by scoring a classic goal on the break were they? You bet they were. Kuyt would be put through but would see his one-on-one effort saved by Buffon, however he picked up the ball and crossed it into the box and who was there but Giovanni van Bronckhorst who headed home to put the gloss on the scoreline.

3-0 was harsh on Italy who didn't play badly whatsoever. However Holland showed the watching world that they could be a special team. I was on a well known betting site during the game and saw their odds tumble in front of my eyes for the tournament. They ended up as joint second favourites alongside Spain and below Germany. They had leapfrogged France, Italy and the Portuguese in one swift jump.

Holland v France on Friday night - I am looking forward to that one already!