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Introduction - 0:05
The flying Dutchmen against their old Dutch master… Holland the most accomplished side so far in the finals, Russia the most improved… The Dutch aiming for their fifth semi-final in six Euro-championships, Russia seeking their first since 1988, when they were runners out, beaten by one of the greatest goals ever and scored by current Netherlands coach Marco Van Basten… This match has intriguing subplots and tantalising potential... The stadium they call the Basel bathtub is awash with orange bubble bath... This city has been garishly, gloriously chaotic and vibrant for hours... ?Of? one report estimates, 150,000 Dutch supporters to be in Basel...
0:50
Ooijer revert to the team, that beat Italy and France, can’t <1> them of the challenge of Van Pierse... Robin is on the bench but unfit to play 90 minutes... Boulahrouz plays despite the death of his prematurely born daughter Anisa this week... They wear black arm-bands as a mark of respect...
1:09
Russia make one change – Bilyaletdinov, who has been disappointing, is dropped, and Saenko, the only foreign-based player of the squad, will <2> to their left... Arshavin was outstanding against Sweden...
First Half - 1:22
<3> won by Kolodin who’s so much improved, with Ignashevich alongside and <4> through the games... was hopeless in the first match against Spain... Kolodin... Arshavin... so dangerous... <5> ...has won the free kick... Russian public was very sceptical about their chances here... Lucky Hiddink he was called... Yurii Zhirkov at the free kick, outstanding throughout this championships... Semak is in there, Pavlyuchenko as well... <6> ...splendid save by Van Der Sar... There’s been a lack of good quality on free kicks and... this is certainly trying to catch Van Der Sar out of the near post... and the direction, Van Der Sar read it... Zyryanov with the corner kick... Pavlyuchenko arises.. <7> by Engelaar... Kolodin!... deflecting away and <8> ?nearly back into the path of? Semak... <9> Boulahrouz... This is the free kick once again, you can see – Van Der Sar is fully aware of where it is attempting... <10>
2:43
<11> the championships for you?... It’s good defensive <12> cause we’ve seen week-in, week-out... Pavlyuchenko... Semshov... high for Pavlyuchenko!... and Russia could and should have been ahead... so ?shocked? there... Guus Hiddink... but this is a fantastic ball... getting between the two centre-backs, Ooijer, Mathijsen, ?to head?, and you can see stretching for it <13> keep it down... ?for? really, as a golden opportunity to lead the game...
3:17
Marco Van Basten’s side, unbeaten in eight matches, they’ve won seven of them... But not, since France in 1984, has a team won its opening three group games and gone on to win the Euro title...
3:31
Ooijer... <14> tonight... he’s one of the two players on the yellow card... and that’s a lovely pass to <15> Boulahrouz... ?tapped? away by Kolodin for a corner kick, Holland’s first to the game... <16> chance Boulahrouz has had to go forward... ?he did it ever so well?... space was cleared by Kuyt... and he went into the space... <17> ?disposed to corner?... Van Der Vaart with the corner kick... headed up by Pavyluchenko... De Jong was ?underneath? it... Kolodin <18>... Engelaar!.. hits it low... looks like it’s going away from target, but that only needs the slightest of touches there from Ooijer – and it’s in...
4:20
Boulahrouz... round the corner, lovely pass by Sneijder... Van Nistelrooy... <19> challenge... <20> Kolodin got the ball there... <21> comes through... <22>... a rush challenge by the Russian centre-back gives Holland a dangerous free kick... bending in <23> De Jong!.. <24> only a touch by anyone... Van Nistelrooy was arriving at the far post... almost the perfect free kick... and if free kick is missed by <25> it should just drop into the far corner... and it’s just a foot off... look at it... strikers trying to get away from defenders... Van Nistelrooy is just being held there, as you can see... <26>
5:13
Sneijder... De Jong... Engelaar... <27> too long... Russia can counterattack... Semak...Arshavin is in front of him... Pavlyuchenko is in the middle... Arshavin... <28> that’s a fine save!.. Captain do <29> there... excellent counterattacking football... moving to big centre-back, looking for the angle to try killing the far... you can just see... Van Der Sar gets the slightest of touches... makes the <30> that’s what he wanted... look... just gets the touch... excellent save... the elfin-like Arshavin (why 'the' here?) conjuring magic for Guus Hiddink...
6:00
And the corner for Russia... Semak takes it... <31> Van Nistelrooy... Kolodin, he’ll hit then... oh, look at that!... that’s why he was top scorer for his club last season... <32> as well... eye on the ball, hit down, <33> the drive... <34> in the end... it’s got to be close... Zhirkov will swing the corner kick away... Ignashevich was in there... <35> Semshov... <36> Van Der Vaart strait down... but this is Kolodin... he fancies another go... he is at another go!... (giggling) excellent shooting!... excellent shooting against the Dutch... remember the guy called Johnny ?Red? who used to hit them like that for the Dutch... fantastic strike... <38> just a fraction... it’s Ruud Van Nistelrooy... turned away from Kollodin ?back across to face the goal?... turned away... the keeper pushed it back into the centre of the penalty area, and not away... good turn from Van Nistelrooy... stays on his feet because he knows he’s got a chance to score...
7:22
<39> Sneijder has a bit of a problem for Holland... he’s looked across to the bench a couple of times... here he is... and towards Van Nistelrooy... the touch was too heavy... Zhirkov <40> this is Kolodin... Kuyt was behind him <41> Van Der Vaart!.. Akinfeev with the block... and the Russians very nearly shot themselves in the <42>... <43> square, straight to the striker... luckily, the shot was straight at the goalkeeper as well...
Second Half - 7:58
It’s Edwin Van Der Sar’s twenty-fifth match in major championship finals... That’s a free kick for Holland... Van Der Vaart will take it... on the fourth minute of the second half... Rafael Van Der Vaart... in towards Van Nistelrooy!.. it’s another wickedly curling delivery... De Jong was at the far post again... one of these will surely pay off... <44> ?angry at himself?... may be too much pace on it... curled it in towards the goalkeeper <45>... <46> you can see Van Nistelrooy... look, he’s being held there... referee doesn’t see it, though...
8:46
?Oh, they gonna? make another substitution... Johnny Heitinga is ?gonna come on?... And he is replacing Boulahrouz... and the whole of the stadium in Basel rises to applaud Khalid Boulahrouz... <48> in Europe <49>
9:13
Arshavin... Heitinga clears... but there was an arm there... Robin Van Pierse has left the Russian player on the deck... he gets a yellow card for that...the referee had a little think about that before he made that decision... <50> Van Pierse <51>... I think he puts his arm just to hold off the defender, but... his arm actually <52> the defender in the face... there... Zyryanov... I think he is just trying to hold him off... You know, it’s a kind of thing that <53> do all the time... Arshavin with the free kick for Russia... with nine minutes gone in the second half...Pavlyuchenko waits in the middle... it’s darting in!.. <54> went for goal <55> far away... <56> saying that <57>... it’s a great delivery... it’s low... and I’d just say, it’s a fraction off the far post once again... well, both teams have delivered from the set pieces a lot better than we’ve seen on the tournament so far... that’s close... <58> Van Der Sar dives, he pulls his arms away... very sure of himself... Arshavin so close to giving Russia the lead... Here he is again... he brings Semak in the play... and to Pavlyuchenko! 1:0 to Russia! again, it’s the end <59> defensive side at Euro 2008 in the quarterfinals... Marco Van Basten makes a big ?move, doesn’t he??... he takes Boulahrouz off, puts Heitinga on and then... the cross came from down that far side where he's just come on... this guy needs a few chances <60>... that was absolutely perfect... <61> now, he gets over there, a little bit slow... great delivery, good movement from the big centre forward... that’s <62> the final ball... just alongside the six-yard box... and the touch doesn’t give the goalkeeper any chance whatsoever... he got away from Mathijsen and finished perfectly...
11:18
Zhirkov... Arshavin... <63>... Van Pierse... <64> strait away... that’s Anyukov... Saenko... Pavlyuchenko... Anyukov, the fullback’s in here... <65> Van Der Sar <66> to make the save... and Russia <67>... they could have won the game <68>... now, what can Holland do on the counter?.. Van Pierse... Anyukov <69>... Pavlyuchenko is playing at right back... but it’s Russia who can counter with Arshavin... and Holland are getting men back... Bilyaletdinov wants a ?play?... Arshavin did it <70>... and Saenko was coming in... but look at Pavlyuchenko who is standing on the edge of the eighteen-yard box... <71> sensed glory there and go in for it... Arshavin, what a player!... it’s just <72> the last defender... <73> you can see the centre forward, he stood still!...
12:26
Johan Cruijff... now, he has been critical of the style used by Marco Van Basten and he said that <74> this way because the players have dictated to the manager what they should do... Heitinga... Van Der Vaart... Sneijder... chance for <75>... once again, <76> shooting from distance<77>, because Holland cannot get round the back of Russia... this is Arshavin... away from Heitinga... Zyryanov... chance for Russia... it’s just about how <78> Bilyaletdinov... Zhirkov to win the game!... and it is <79> wide by Torbinski... Russia have had three or four golden opportunities to book a place in the semi-final and they haven’t taken any of them!... Incredible!... I thought he was offside... Bad touch, decent touch, but it’s being played onside... when ?he gets? that position there, you’ve got to shoot...
13:44
He is the master tactician... the way he has transformed this Russian team from the opening game defeat is stunning... Well, they’ve been allowed to play there free flowing football, have they? <80> play here tonight <81> see a spectacle... but... Guus Hiddink in charge... <82> let the Dutch play <83>... <84> hands by Pavlyuchenko... still the thumbs up for Marco Van Basten... and Holland have a free kick... with for and a half minutes to go... time for prayers... Sneijder with it... Van Pierse in the middle... and it <85> it’s 1-1!... and it’s Ruud van Nistelrooy who heads the goal and keeps Holland in the competition... four minutes left when Van Nistelrooy headed the equaliser... those free kicks have caused danger throughout the night and that last one did pay off... <86> two or three times <87>... everybody is onside... Van Nistelrooy has <88> kick... and look what he does... the only chance he’s had in the game – in the back of net, 1-1... he retired from international football after a bustle with Marco Van Basten and he was persuaded to return... and he is Van Basten’s favourite Dutchman right now...
15:24
oh, they got a little bit quiet... but they’d been behind their team all through the game... few Russian supporters checking on their brand new Swiss watches... Anyukov, misplaced... Sneijder, can he keep it in play?.. he’s done remarkably well... <89>... Kolodin, he’s got <90> yellow card... what’s the referee re-rises?.. it’s a red... Russia will have to play with ten men... now, <91> because the referee’s been told to go across to assistant referee, who is flagging him... I think when Sneijder tried to keep the ball in, Jonathan, I think he may have got over the line which then would put the ball out of play, and that would be a goal kick... now, this is interesting cause he’s pulled out the yellow card and pulled out the red card... oh, he... I think he is apologising, is he?.. he has retreated the situation!.. I have never seen that before!... brave... just to clarify, if the ball is out of play here <92> and the foul tackle wouldn’t count, neither would the second yellow... oh, but was that ball out?.. it’s in...
16:41
Relief for Guus Hiddink... now, if it goes to a penalty shootout, I think, Kolodin will be one who takes a penalty for Russia... may not go that far... Arshavin... it’ll go to extra time, that’s for certain... the fulltime with the spotlight on the referee... it’s Holland – 1, Russia – 1...
Extra Time - 17:06
Zyryanov… Arshavin… possibly, the best player on the pitch… attack on De Jong… oh, Van Der Sar <93> in the end… <94> Arshavin once again tricking around the eighteen-yard box... De Jong… Sneijder… <95> on the shoulder took him away from the defender and to Van Nistelrooy, all alone... oh, that would have been magnificent… Once again, he pins Kolodin on the edge of the eighteen-yard box there <96> spins away… now, the defender should never allow the striker to come off and turn and face the goal to shoot… block by Ignashevich… Torbinski <97> and comes away with the ball… Arshavin wants it... Pavlyuchenko in a wide position... Ooijer coming across... Zyryanov’s made a great <98> to edge of the penalty area... Pavlyuchenko!.. Oh! Again, Pavlyuchenko hits the woodwork in the Euro finals... I thought, once he comes inside here, I think he’d play it, play it... and then he just pulls the trigger... nearly caught there Van Der Sar out of the near post... Arshavin <100>... Arshavin, he was brilliant... <101> Arshavin... it’s Torbinski!.. Russia miss another chance... lovely touches <102> just past defenders, teasing the defenders who ?dare challenge?... great <103>... it wasn’t <104> power...
18:52
Afellay... <105> has given away... Zyryanov to Arshavin... hit down <106> get the ball from one of the defenders... you can see the troubles he’s causing... <107> head down... he knows, the defender there... draws the foul... Kolodin, who arguably should not have been on the field of play, will take the free kick for Russia… it’s Kolodin!.. if that’d gone in, Holland would have arguing for years about the injustice of the goal...
19:37
Bilyaletdinov... took it now... forced wide by Mathijsen... needs supports... Zhirkov... it’s still Zhirkov in the box, he’s been down!.. and he’s told to get up by the referee... penalty for me... there’s his left foot treading on Zhirkov’s ankle... it’s a penalty, there’s no doubt about it, in my mind...
20:13
it’s all Russia... Zhirkov... Bilyaletdinov... <108> Zyryanov... chance for Russia... and the ball <109>... Pavlyuchenko!.. <110> incredible... absolutely incredible, excellent football!.. good ruling of the ball... link of play here, linking the play... get himself... he’s standing again at the far post...
20:42
this is Van Pierse... Van Nistelrooy... looses possession... Torbinski... Zhirkov... there he is, Arshavin... <111> himself into the ground... but again he pulls on the pressure and pull on the pace, and takes on Ooijer... Arshavin with a cross, here comes Torbinski!.. Russia <112> Torbinski, with one hundred and eleven minutes gone, has put Russia into the lead again... and Holland <113> unbeaten team, and it’s their old manager who has done it.. against their old European championship goal scorer hero... well, the substitute scores the goal... look <114> a piece of genius again... Arshavin ?in? number ten...he just burst into laugh again... tease and teased... this is an incredible ball... it’s a tap in there from the substitute... <115> it’s a great ball for the <116> awesome neat touch... <117> I feel they deserve it... they should had a penalty a few minutes ago... wow, look at the joy on his face...
21:52
The official UEFA statistics showed 51 efforts on goal... well, I just haven’t <118> a game, where I’ve seen so many... so many long-range shots just as so many efforts... <119> throw... Arshavin... <120> has sealed the place in the semi-finals for Russia... in ’84 there was Platini, in ’88 there was Gullit... and this could be the man, who is the <121> force in Euro-2008... it’s only his second game in the finals, and he set Marco Van Basten’s dream crashing out... <122> player for me that I’ve seen in this tournament... look at this... <123> marking from the Dutch, he must protect the goal all times... <124> he’s got the wrong side... look at that, Ooijer the wrong side... Heitinga comes across too late... but... you know what, he absolutely deserves that goal... he’s been sensational today, absolutely sensational...
23:00
I can guarantee that <125> stage... headed on by Van Nistelrooy... away by Semak... Van Nistelrooy trying to... Russia have beaten Holland, and Guus Hiddink has once again taken a team to the championship semi-final, and have beaten his old compatriots... and Marco Van Basten’s reign ends with this this <126> failure, because Arshavin has conjured up a wonderful performance... and Russia have surprised everyone in this tournament of surprises... The Netherlands - one, Russia – three.
