Euro 2008: France 0-2 Italy, Holland 2-0 Romania

Jun 18

Holland victorious yet again, saving Italy a seat at the QF

Holland were every bit as professional as coach Marco van Basten promised they would be as they outclassed Romania 2-0 to send Victor Piturca’s side home and hand Italy a Euro 2008 lifeline.

Second-half strikes from Klaas Jan Huntelaar and Robin van Persie at Bern’s Stade de Suisse Wankdorf earned the Oranje - already assured of a quarter-final berth and top spot in Group C - their third win of the tournament.

Defeat for the Dutch would have seen both 2006 World Cup finalists Italy and France eliminated, but even a much-changed Holland line-up were simply too good for Romania.

Italy manage to edge out France 2-0, getting themselves to the QFs

Italy beat 10-man France 2-0 in Zurich to advance to the quarter-finals with a little help from Holland’s victory over Romania.

Andrea Pirlo put the world champions in front with a 25th minute penalty after Eric Abidal had brought down Luca Toni inside the area.

Abidal was shown a straight red, leaving the French with a mountain to climb following the earlier loss of Franck Ribery to injury.

But Italy were still made to suffer before Daniele De Rossi’s 62nd minute free-kick took a deflection off Thierry Henry and found the back of the net.

The turn of events completed a terrible tournament for Les Bleus, who were held to goalless draw against Romania in their Group C opener before being hammered 4-1 by Holland.

Romania’s 2-0 defeat to Holland saw Italy finish second in the group behind the Dutch. They will now take on Group D winners Spain on Sunday in Vienna but the Azzurri will have to do without key players Pirlo and Gennaro Gattuso, both among a plethora of cautions against the French.