Netherlands against Czechia

A blistering long range shot from Heinz is only parried by Van der Saar. Poborsky is on to it in a flash and shows great composure to resist the temptation to blast it from close range but instead just slip it square to Smicer for the easiest finish of his life. 3-2 to the Czech Republic and they look on their way to the second round

The comback is complete. 2-0 down, the Czechs are now 3-2 up, Smicer netting from 3 yards. Crikey

Final substitution for the Dutch as van der Vaart joins the action at the expense of Seedorf who's contribution in the game has waned

Pavel Nedved nearly settles the tie in the most spectacular of styles. From fully 35 yards he lets fly with a left footed pile driver that rattles the crossbar. Deserved a goal for it but it was not to be

Decent move down the right gives Bosvelt the chance to cross. Van Nistlerooy is waiting in a good position but a timely intervention from Ujfalusi prevents a chance arriving

Despite being a man down now the Dutch are still getting plenty of the ball and certainly haven't given up all hope of wining this game

Free kick for the Czechs near the right hand corner of the 18 yard box. Laid square for Nedved to crack from distance but it is driven into a crowd of players in the penalty area and comes to nothing

Substitution for Holland. Off goes attacking winger Van der Meyde and on comes right back Reiziger as a consequence of the sending off.

The free kick is a distance out to the left hand side of the pitch but Nedved fancies a pop. Well worth it as Van der Saar is struggling to save the effort and the rebound falls to substitute Rozehnal. His shot is good but blocked with some desperate defending

Nedved earns the wrath of Davids - rather him than me - with a spot of play acting. Surging into the Dutch half Nedved finds himself without support and goes down under next to no contact. The referee views it as more than that and gives the offender - Heitinga - a yellow card. His second and so he is off

Substitution for the Czech Republic. Off goes man mountain Koller and on comes David Rozehnal.

The Dutch certainly aren't finished yet. Van der Meyde breaking once more into Czech box down the right. Glorious chance but the low drilled shot is brilliantly saved by Cech with his feet

A hopeful ball more than anything into the box aimed for Koller sees the big man surrounded by orange shirts. Showing great skill he chests the ball back to Baros just outside the box and after a bounce he volleys a screamer into the back of the net that Van der Saar had no chance with. 2-2 and it's anyones three points now

Goal for the Czech Republic! All square all of a sudden as Baros buries one from outside the box.

Czechs trying their hand now at a spot of simulation. Jiranek taking a tumble and fooling no one

Van der Meyde is denied a possible break into a Czech half with only the keeper in it by two defenders physically blocking him. Looked just about legal to me but the Dutch are growing frustrated with the referee's leniency

Bosvelt, the recent Dutch sub has barely moved away from Nedved since his arrival. So that's why they brought a Man City player onto the pitch. A hatchett job

Long throw out by Van der Saar sets van Nistlerooy off in full flight. Rosicky, however, is in close attendance and a wonderfully timed sliding challenge stops him. Van Nistlerooy feels he was fouled but not a bit of it. Great tackle and good refereeing

The Czech substitute makes an immediate impact by wriggling into the box and playing a lovely lay back to Baros. His shot is flying into the far corner until Van der Saar, not to be outdone by his opposite number, pulls off possibly the save of the game to turn it round his post. Wonderful stop

Obviously in response to Hollands change that sees them go 4-4-2 the Czechs make a switch. Off goes defensive midfield player Galasek and on comes a striker Heinz. Lets have it then.

Substitution for Holland - and it's a strange one. Robben, one of the most influential players on the pitch, goes off surely with an injury. On caome Bosvelt, a holding midfield player

Corner for Holland sees van Nistlerooy and Cech challenge together again and the referee awards a free kick to Czech Republic

Real, real chance for Holland and van Nistlerooy. Deep ball over the top from the left sees the Man Utd player rise fantastically with only the keeper to beat. His header is strong, downwards and on target but Cech, living up to his billing as one of the best stoppers in Europe, denies him on the floor. Great header, great save

Czech republic pick up their first yellow card of the tournament. Galasek taking Davids' legs away from him

Another Czech attack born of the promptings of an ever more influential Nedved. His run and pass wide right to the overlapping Poborsky sets up the crossing opportunity. A decent ball evades nearly everyone but lands at the feet of Smicer past the far post. A chance but a difficult one. The Liverpool man can't control the volley

Nedved recieves the ball just outside the area, slightly to the right of Van der Saar's goal, with his back to that goal. Chests it down and as the ball bounces swivles and hits a half volley goalwards. A slight deflection makes it that bit harder for the keeper but he shows good hands to hold on to it first time

Robben shows the less palatable side to his gane as a dangerous studds up challenge on Rosicky's calf gives away a free kick

End to end stuff. Cross from van der Meyede aimed at van Nistlerooy just fails to find its target and at th eother end a half chance for Baros goes begging

Straight up the other end and a shooting chance for Poborsky on the corner of the 18 yards box. A powerful and well directed effort is goalbound until Cech intervenes. It's as if half time never happened

Van der Meyde finds space on the right to burst into and a pair of team-mates looking for the square ball. With defenders tracking back the cross come shot is not everything he would have hoped for but nonethe less requires Van der Saar to get involved

Holland get is started for the second half and, with barely a minute gone, haven't scored yet. But hang on what's this...

I promised you goals, didn't I? A half of football like we all want to see it played (the Italians amongst you excepted). The Dutch in particular are having a lot of joy from their two wide men supporting van Nistlerooy. Robben and van der Meyde - helped by some slipshod Czech marking - are having a field day. Going forward the Czechs seem happier than defending and Koller, Baros, Nedved and Rosicky have all served notice that they still may have a say in the outcome of this match.

A breathless opening fourty five minutes comes to an end - my god I wish it hadn't. Wonderfull show of pure attacking football from both sides. Encore!

Yet another break down the left from the Dutch with van Nistlerooy flying into oceans of space. A bit to quickly, however, for the linesman who flags him offside. Very tight and very late. But rules is rules

More magical football. Van der Meyde booming down the right, outswinging cross that van Nistlerooy can only help on from the edge of the box. Recovered by Robben who feeds Davids in the centre and he fires a fearsome daisycutter fully 30 yards towards goal beating Cech all ends up. Thankfully for the keeper though, his left upright comes to his aid and the ball flys out into play at almost the same speed as it crashed into the post. Cracking effort

Smicer looks to beat Cocu on the left but, despite his determination, the man in orange blocks his path at the expense of a throw-in

For the second time in aminute Koller's arial threat is on display. None of the Dutch defenders look comfortable handling him and his second header loops only marginally over the bar

The Dutch look likely to score everytime they go forward. It's not one way traffic though as both sides' passing and movement should be putting some other teams in this tournament to shame.

Cech is fast becoming the busiest man on the pitch. Van der Meyde and van Nistlerooy follow up a ball through and manage to hack the ball free of the keeper's grasp. Ilegally though, says the referee

More action in the Czech penalty area. Van der Meyde wrestles his way past the last defender and, with van Nistlerooy screaming for it to be pulled back, he shoots and draws a fine low save from the keeper. It was all for nothing anyway as the referee righly awards the Czechs a free kick for the Dutch striker's rough-housing

Deep free kick on the left from Robben looks like its going to be hurled in. Not so. A sideways pass to Seedorf puts him 30 yards out dead centre and he doesn't need asking twice from there. A bullet of a shot leaves Cech standing as it ricochets off the advertising boards behind the goal. He's getting closer

There is hardly time to draw breath in this match and it shows no sign of letting up. This is more like what we were promised

Keeper Cech earns his corn with a flying save to his top right hand corner that he saves with his left hand: Heitinga the unlucky man who's shot from distance on another day would have flown in

High ball into the Czech box and van Nistlerooy is challenging with Jiranek. An ordinary sort of challenge you see every day in football. Van Nistlerooy tumbles like hes been punched in the back. Something you se...etc...

Nedved, causing all sorts of problems down the left draws a nasty foul from Heitinga and he is rightly booked for it

Grygera's torrid time is over at right back. Possibly injured but definitely out played by Robben on the left wing Poborsky will now take his role. Smicer comes into the play to take up right midfield

With the Dutch perhaps losing concentration for a moment Baros was given space in their half and drove at goal. twisting and turning into the box it looked for a moment though Stam had stopped him but at the second attempt he slotted a ball wide to Koller on the corner of the six yard box. He doesn't miss from there either. 2-1 Holland

The Czechs are back in the game as Koller crashes home from close range. Game on!

..but that discussion is for later as the game moves on at pace

The Czechs can feel aggrieved at the second goal for the following reason. When the ball was played through to Robben van Nistlerooy was about 15 feet offside, retreating some way behind the defensive line: inactive. But he then entered the play again - by scoring - and should have been flagged then under the new interpretation.

An attack for the Dutch broke down but they get possesssion back quickly and Robben breaks into masses of space on the left, squares for van Nistlerooy, cutting out the Czech keeper, and the Man Utd man doesn't miss from there. 2-0 Holland. What a start!

This game doesn't stand still. Van Nistlerooy 5 yards out with an open goal? 2-0 to the dutch of course

Another shot on goal from Holland that forces Cech into action. Room on the left means Robben should have been fed the ball a long time before he was but when van der Meyde finally gives it too him the chance is still on. Low angled drive good but Cech saves well

Cracking start to the game as both sides look to get the ball on the floor and knock it around the pitch. The strength of both sides is in attack and it shows. Makes for good football though

Really neat passing move from Holland ends with a square ball across the box for Seedorf to strike. Doesn't really get hold of it and it was going wide even before the deflection off Ujfalusi

Rosicky - the Czech playmaker at the centre of most of their good football - plays a perfectly weighted ball behind the back of the Dutch defence into the path of Poborsky. He checks, then sends over a cross aimed at Koller but Stam gets in front of him

Dangerous looking free kick arcing towards the back stick from Rosicky sees a lot of pushing and shoving but no one able to connect

Second biggest cheer of the day as the referee is forced to go over and clear a comedy oversized ball that has found its way onto the pitch. I think that constitutes a 'carnival atmosphere' doesn't it?

The two giant figures of Koller and Stam go head to head (they only can with each other really) and the Dutch defender is penalised for pulling back his opponent

Czech Republic looked rattled after the early goal but have regained their composure enough to start kncking it around a bit

4 minutes after the first goal we have the first yellow card as Seedorf clatters Nedved from behind with a rash challenge. Referee had no choice

Seedorf lines up a free kick from a long way out. Looks optimistic but goes narrowly wide of the goal. Good effort

Hopefully these first couple of minutes set the tone for the rest of the match. Electric atmosphere inside the stadium

Long Robben free kick from the right eveades the statuesque Czech back line and Bouma near the back post is unmarked and heads past Cech to break the deadlock. 1-0 Holland

I said there would be goals and, after Czech Republic could have scored twice the Dutch go one better and do score!

The Czechs quick out of the blocks. Ujfalusi breaks from his left back position and after a mazy run seems to run out of steam just as a shooting opportunity presents itself and the effort is weak

Glorious chance after barely a minute. Poborsky out wide right plays into Rosicky's feet just outside the box. A delightful chip over the top seems to fall perfectly for an unmarked Koller but the giant striker blasts over

Kick-off and a Czech offside inside 30 seconds gives Holland possession and we are underway

The Dutch stick with a 4-3-3 system with van Nistlerooy as the lone striker. Roben and Seedorf both start after a less than sparkling display from some of their compatriots earlier in the week.

Two of the European heavywieghts go head to head today with everything to play for. For the Czechs a victory will put them into the second phase of the tournament whilst for the Dutch a positive result will leave them in pole position with only Latvia to come. With the Germans dropping points earlier today a draw would not be a disaster for either side but with a wealth of attacking quality on display we can expect chances at either end. The jury is still out on these former winners and it is ti

Czechs trying their hand now at a spot of simulation. Jiranek taking a tumble and fooling no one

Van der Meyde is denied a possible break into a Czech half with only the keeper in it by two defenders physically blocking him. Looked just about legal to me but the Dutch are growing frustrated with the referee's leniency

Bosvelt, the recent Dutch sub has barely moved away from Nedved since his arrival. So that's why they brought a Man City player onto the pitch. A hatchett job

Long throw out by Van der Saar sets van Nistlerooy off in full flight. Rosicky, however, is in close attendance and a wonderfully timed sliding challenge stops him. Van Nistlerooy feels he was fouled but not a bit of it. Great tackle and good refereeing

The Czech substitute makes an immediate impact by wriggling into the box and playing a lovely lay back to Baros. His shot is flying into the far corner until Van der Saar, not to be outdone by his opposite number, pulls off possibly the save of the game to turn it round his post. Wonderful stop

Obviously in response to Hollands change that sees them go 4-4-2 the Czechs make a switch. Off goes defensive midfield player Galasek and on comes a striker Heinz. Lets have it then.

Substitution for Holland - and it's a strange one. Robben, one of the most influential players on the pitch, goes off surely with an injury. On caome Bosvelt, a holding midfield player

Corner for Holland sees van Nistlerooy and Cech challenge together again and the referee awards a free kick to Czech Republic

Real, real chance for Holland and van Nistlerooy. Deep ball over the top from the left sees the Man Utd player rise fantastically with only the keeper to beat. His header is strong, downwards and on target but Cech, living up to his billing as one of the best stoppers in Europe, denies him on the floor. Great header, great save

Czech republic pick up their first yellow card of the tournament. Galasek taking Davids' legs away from him

Another Czech attack born of the promptings of an ever more influential Nedved. His run and pass wide right to the overlapping Poborsky sets up the crossing opportunity. A decent ball evades nearly everyone but lands at the feet of Smicer past the far post. A chance but a difficult one. The Liverpool man can't control the volley

Nedved recieves the ball just outside the area, slightly to the right of Van der Saar's goal, with his back to that goal. Chests it down and as the ball bounces swivles and hits a half volley goalwards. A slight deflection makes it that bit harder for the keeper but he shows good hands to hold on to it first time

Robben shows the less palatable side to his gane as a dangerous studds up challenge on Rosicky's calf gives away a free kick

End to end stuff. Cross from van der Meyede aimed at van Nistlerooy just fails to find its target and at th eother end a half chance for Baros goes begging

Straight up the other end and a shooting chance for Poborsky on the corner of the 18 yards box. A powerful and well directed effort is goalbound until Cech intervenes. It's as if half time never happened

Van der Meyde finds space on the right to burst into and a pair of team-mates looking for the square ball. With defenders tracking back the cross come shot is not everything he would have hoped for but nonethe less requires Van der Saar to get involved

Holland get is started for the second half and, with barely a minute gone, haven't scored yet. But hang on what's this...

I promised you goals, didn't I? A half of football like we all want to see it played (the Italians amongst you excepted). The Dutch in particular are having a lot of joy from their two wide men supporting van Nistlerooy. Robben and van der Meyde - helped by some slipshod Czech marking - are having a field day. Going forward the Czechs seem happier than defending and Koller, Baros, Nedved and Rosicky have all served notice that they still may have a say in the outcome of this match.

A breathless opening fourty five minutes comes to an end - my god I wish it hadn't. Wonderfull show of pure attacking football from both sides. Encore!

Yet another break down the left from the Dutch with van Nistlerooy flying into oceans of space. A bit to quickly, however, for the linesman who flags him offside. Very tight and very late. But rules is rules

More magical football. Van der Meyde booming down the right, outswinging cross that van Nistlerooy can only help on from the edge of the box. Recovered by Robben who feeds Davids in the centre and he fires a fearsome daisycutter fully 30 yards towards goal beating Cech all ends up. Thankfully for the keeper though, his left upright comes to his aid and the ball flys out into play at almost the same speed as it crashed into the post. Cracking effort

Smicer looks to beat Cocu on the left but, despite his determination, the man in orange blocks his path at the expense of a throw-in

For the second time in aminute Koller's arial threat is on display. None of the Dutch defenders look comfortable handling him and his second header loops only marginally over the bar

The Dutch look likely to score everytime they go forward. It's not one way traffic though as both sides' passing and movement should be putting some other teams in this tournament to shame.

Cech is fast becoming the busiest man on the pitch. Van der Meyde and van Nistlerooy follow up a ball through and manage to hack the ball free of the keeper's grasp. Ilegally though, says the referee

More action in the Czech penalty area. Van der Meyde wrestles his way past the last defender and, with van Nistlerooy screaming for it to be pulled back, he shoots and draws a fine low save from the keeper. It was all for nothing anyway as the referee righly awards the Czechs a free kick for the Dutch striker's rough-housing

Deep free kick on the left from Robben looks like its going to be hurled in. Not so. A sideways pass to Seedorf puts him 30 yards out dead centre and he doesn't need asking twice from there. A bullet of a shot leaves Cech standing as it ricochets off the advertising boards behind the goal. He's getting closer

There is hardly time to draw breath in this match and it shows no sign of letting up. This is more like what we were promised

Keeper Cech earns his corn with a flying save to his top right hand corner that he saves with his left hand: Heitinga the unlucky man who's shot from distance on another day would have flown in

High ball into the Czech box and van Nistlerooy is challenging with Jiranek. An ordinary sort of challenge you see every day in football. Van Nistlerooy tumbles like hes been punched in the back. Something you se...etc...

Nedved, causing all sorts of problems down the left draws a nasty foul from Heitinga and he is rightly booked for it

Grygera's torrid time is over at right back. Possibly injured but definitely out played by Robben on the left wing Poborsky will now take his role. Smicer comes into the play to take up right midfield

With the Dutch perhaps losing concentration for a moment Baros was given space in their half and drove at goal. twisting and turning into the box it looked for a moment though Stam had stopped him but at the second attempt he slotted a ball wide to Koller on the corner of the six yard box. He doesn't miss from there either. 2-1 Holland

The Czechs are back in the game as Koller crashes home from close range. Game on!

..but that discussion is for later as the game moves on at pace

The Czechs can feel aggrieved at the second goal for the following reason. When the ball was played through to Robben van Nistlerooy was about 15 feet offside, retreating some way behind the defensive line: inactive. But he then entered the play again - by scoring - and should have been flagged then under the new interpretation.

An attack for the Dutch broke down but they get possesssion back quickly and Robben breaks into masses of space on the left, squares for van Nistlerooy, cutting out the Czech keeper, and the Man Utd man doesn't miss from there. 2-0 Holland. What a start!

This game doesn't stand still. Van Nistlerooy 5 yards out with an open goal? 2-0 to the dutch of course

Another shot on goal from Holland that forces Cech into action. Room on the left means Robben should have been fed the ball a long time before he was but when van der Meyde finally gives it too him the chance is still on. Low angled drive good but Cech saves well

Cracking start to the game as both sides look to get the ball on the floor and knock it around the pitch. The strength of both sides is in attack and it shows. Makes for good football though

Really neat passing move from Holland ends with a square ball across the box for Seedorf to strike. Doesn't really get hold of it and it was going wide even before the deflection off Ujfalusi

Rosicky - the Czech playmaker at the centre of most of their good football - plays a perfectly weighted ball behind the back of the Dutch defence into the path of Poborsky. He checks, then sends over a cross aimed at Koller but Stam gets in front of him

Dangerous looking free kick arcing towards the back stick from Rosicky sees a lot of pushing and shoving but no one able to connect

Second biggest cheer of the day as the referee is forced to go over and clear a comedy oversized ball that has found its way onto the pitch. I think that constitutes a 'carnival atmosphere' doesn't it?

The two giant figures of Koller and Stam go head to head (they only can with each other really) and the Dutch defender is penalised for pulling back his opponent

Czech Republic looked rattled after the early goal but have regained their composure enough to start kncking it around a bit

4 minutes after the first goal we have the first yellow card as Seedorf clatters Nedved from behind with a rash challenge. Referee had no choice

Seedorf lines up a free kick from a long way out. Looks optimistic but goes narrowly wide of the goal. Good effort

Hopefully these first couple of minutes set the tone for the rest of the match. Electric atmosphere inside the stadium

Long Robben free kick from the right eveades the statuesque Czech back line and Bouma near the back post is unmarked and heads past Cech to break the deadlock. 1-0 Holland

I said there would be goals and, after Czech Republic could have scored twice the Dutch go one better and do score!

The Czechs quick out of the blocks. Ujfalusi breaks from his left back position and after a mazy run seems to run out of steam just as a shooting opportunity presents itself and the effort is weak

Glorious chance after barely a minute. Poborsky out wide right plays into Rosicky's feet just outside the box. A delightful chip over the top seems to fall perfectly for an unmarked Koller but the giant striker blasts over

Kick-off and a Czech offside inside 30 seconds gives Holland possession and we are underway

The Dutch stick with a 4-3-3 system with van Nistlerooy as the lone striker. Roben and Seedorf both start after a less than sparkling display from some of their compatriots earlier in the week.

Two of the European heavywieghts go head to head today with everything to play for. For the Czechs a victory will put them into the second phase of the tournament whilst for the Dutch a positive result will leave them in pole position with only Latvia to come. With the Germans dropping points earlier today a draw would not be a disaster for either side but with a wealth of attacking quality on display we can expect chances at either end. The jury is still out on these former winners and it is ti