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What a wonderful Italian meal was that!!

June 9th, 2008 | By: Jan | 50 Comments »

Panucci can be seen behind the line, faking an injury…

Dick Jol, referee-coach at the KNVB, responded directly after the match: “Rule 11 of the referee rulebook of the FIFA. A forward can move across the line and not participate. A defender is always regarded as partaking, even when he moves over the line. Otherwise, smart defenders could trap the offside by swiftly moving back across the line. The FIFA wanted to rule that out, so that’s that. It’s an easy conclusion: the referee and linesman did well. Complaining won’t help. This was a fair goal.”

I hope the Italian bloggers read this too, they keep on whining about Ruud’s goal.

But let’s concentrate on the game:

It was as if a volcano exploded. All that passion that erupted after the sensational win over the World Champs. Images of Raf van der Vaart climbing onto the stands to embrace his wife Sylvie amongst dancing and cheering fans.
Or when Gio scored the third. All subs rose from the bank and ran to the spot where Gio celebrated his header with the fans. Two years ago, Oranje left the WC2006 in shame after an abysmal performance against Portugal. What a way to fight and play yourself back to the top. And how. Faultless gallery pay. What a game and what an inspirational fight! But above all, what quality!!

The enormous gratitude of the fans came before the final whistle when Khalid Boulahrouz was subbed. The surprise starter in the line-up received a standing ovation for his work.

Van Nistelrooy’s opening goal was crucial. The Italian players and staff saw the goal on the big screen and knew for sure: Van Gol was meters in off side! Luca Toni was livid and refused to kick off. He was awarded the yellow for that, but all that perceived unjustice broke the Italians and gave the Oranje squad wings. And so the Italians copped their biggest defeat since the 4-1 in 1970 against Brazil.

And what was there not to like. Edwin van der Sar continued his wonderful Man United form. Nigel de Jong proved the rightful heir to Davids’ vacuumcleaner role and Orlando Engelaar ruled in midifield as if he played for AC Milan instead of FC Twente.

An orange angel, isn’t she beautiful?

Tow other amaziing players: Wesley Sneijder and Rafael van der Vaart. Working like horses (like Kuyt), passing shrewdly and challenging the Italians.
Sneijder, in a free role, was as much supporting his defense as pushing the Italians back and the man who scored the 2-0 looked like a copy of workhorse Dirk Kuyt, but with the exceptional skills.

All frustration in the Italian camp was demonstrated in Panucci’s elbow in Sneijer’s face and Gio met with Gatusso who almost got his second yellow when tackling the Feyenoord veteran. But Gatusso wasn’t the pitbull he normally was. His bark was this time stronger than his bite.

Marco van Basten enjoyed it all from the side. He could even allow Robin van Persie to play for 15 minutes, knowing the Arsenal star could use some play under pressure. The best images were the shots of San Marco after the goals, jumping in the air as if he played himself. Is this Marco’s finest hour as team manager or is there more to come?

Tags: Del Piero, Euro 2008, Gio, Holland, Oranje, Panucci, Persie, Robben, Sar, Sneijder, The Netherlands, Toni, Vaart

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Comments

Displaying the most recent 25 comments from a total of 50 comments.

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By Jan | June 10th, 2008 at 8:16 am

RomaShield: did you watch Italian tv yesterday? Did you notice the fact that they spoke exclusively of that incident? If Jan doesn’t have class, I don’t know what those puny journalists are!

Posted from Italy

By Jan | June 10th, 2008 at 8:27 am

Hey Jan,
I thought you’d enjoy this:
http://uk.eurosport.yahoo.com/10062008/58/euro-2008-greatest-dutch-goal.html

You might want to write an article about it.

Posted from Italy

By johannes | June 10th, 2008 at 8:28 am

In 88 a Dutch player by the name of Kieft scored a decisive goal against Ireland, clearly in an offsite position. This was graciously recognized afterwards. Michels, the brilliant Dutch coach who led them to the cup, called it “a mere detail” with a huge grin. That was class. I am not an Italian fan. I just want to see fair play and sportsmanship. The Dutch reaction to their freakish victory showed neither. And I have still not seen any evidence of this supposed rule. It is not in the official publication of the FIFA, so where is it then?

Posted from Netherlands

By RomaShield27 | June 10th, 2008 at 8:40 am

Jan, are you talking about yourself in the third person, or are there two of you? Buffon pushing Panucci? Please, get a grip. Whatever your insinuating with that is irrelevant anyway, as Panucci was clearly in some distress on the ground and most certainly not “faking it”. Buffon is well over 6″ foot tall and he came flying at him – do you think Panucci is a real Gladiator from the Coliseum or something? The man is 35 for crying out loud and got smacked. To call it faking is pathetic and utter garbage, and your complete lack of grace with this victory stinks.

By Jan | June 10th, 2008 at 8:46 am

I’m a different Jan, Swiss Blogger, but I’m also Dutch, living in Italy.
(btw if one Jan is in Australia and the other one is in Italy, how can there be only one?)

I didn’t say he was faking, I just said it was entirely Buffon’s fault. Furthermore, was he really injured? I’m pretty sure he got up after 10 seconds.
I don’t think you should come here and talk about class. I believe however this discussion should have an end ON ALL BLOGS, for the sake of worldcupblog.org

Posted from Italy

By Ed Roland | June 10th, 2008 at 9:10 am

UEFA justifies the goal… http://en.euro2008.uefa.com/news/kind=1/newsid=711341.html#uefa+supports+dutch+goal+decision

Posted from Canada

By RomaShield27 | June 10th, 2008 at 9:16 am

Well then, I did not know you were a different Jan, so I was referring to the other Jan who said a man of the calibre of Christian Panucci was a cheat and a fake. And those little map location icons don’t work for me, so I couldn’t of known that. And why shouldn’t I talk about class, exactly, when the author of the blog clearly has none?

By johannes | June 10th, 2008 at 9:20 am

Jan from Italy … Trying to muzzle others now, are we? Class is indeed a topic that Dutch football fans try to avoid nowadays. When Arsenal won a game through unsportsmanlike conduct, Arsene Wenger offered a rematch. That’s class, but not something we’d expect from creepy Marco van Basten. He is stupid but not so stupid that he does not realize it will probably be another 30 years before the Dutch beat the Italians again. And still we have seen no proof of this mysterious little rule, known only to a handful of officials.

Posted from Netherlands

By Jan | June 10th, 2008 at 9:39 am

I love the way the fans of the team who kicked out Australia with the cheapest penalty in recent history come up to me and talk about “class” and “fair-play” since Holland’s first goal was CRYSTAL-CLEAR AND VALID I don’t see what the fair-play rubbish has to do with this.

The fact of living in Italy is my business, doesn’t mean I like it or I don’t.

Will Daryl have to block this thread and create a major embarassment for the entire website? Real champions are also champions in defeat, something you’re not proving to be.

I was just defending the other Jan, the Dutch blogger, from Romaetc.’s arrogant comments. This has nothing to do with you folks.
Since I’m a mature person I think this should end here, if the UEFA says it’s a fair goal, end of the story.

Squiggy: talk about your own crusades instead of insulting someone you don’t even know and keep your thoughts to yourself or on the Italian blog.

Posted from Italy

By johannes | June 10th, 2008 at 11:10 am

Jan from Italy … You obviously don’t understand what blogs are about or anything else that really matters. What a waste of time you are.

Posted from Netherlands

By Jan | June 10th, 2008 at 12:12 pm

Romashield, here I am… Watching Spain in the middle of the night.

I can’t see why I am without any class, as you call it. I almost feel offended “in my own blog” . Someone else came up with the word Sportsmanship:

“But it is typically Dutch to lose sight of all sportsmanship when their wretched “Oranje” plays. To call an offside goal against 10 men “fair” is disgraceful”

I merely reacted to this sentence here. It’s getting a bit boring, this discussion: 1) the FIFA supports the ref and points at rule 11.4 and 2) the fat lady sang on this one. What do you want Holland to do? To suggest a re-match? You have got to be joking. This is pro football, not kindergarten.

And let’s not call me a bigot. Italians are very very good at winning (I admit) and they’ll do anything to do so. Whether it’s catenaccio, whether it’s pleading for yellow cards for the opposition or whether it’s diving… Everyone knows this! Don’t be more catholic than the pope here, for crying out loud!

And don’t tell me I rub it in the Italians noses! Read all my posts and comments and you’ll see that I – amonhg other things- expressed my wish to meet the Italians again in the finals and I wished them (you?) all the best. I even think Italy had very good moments in the game and if Italy would have scored 2-1, the match would be open.

I even shared my year long sympathy for The Azurri, although the steal against Australia at the WC2006 still annoys me.

So, take your spite elsewhere if you feel I am a disgrace.

Oh, and I also wrote: “For all we know he was faking it”. I didn’t claim he was. Concentrate a bit more on reading before you write what you write.

Posted from Australia

By goose | June 10th, 2008 at 12:43 pm

@roma; please go away.. i know it hurts,been there many times

btw; what kinda crap team does Guus have?? walk in the park for the spanish

Posted from Netherlands

By RomaShield27 | June 10th, 2008 at 1:00 pm

JAN, from the first line of this blog:

“Panucci can be seen behind the line, faking an injury…”

Good God. Why do I even bother. Go back to school, please.

Posted from Ireland

By Fritz Gehbauer | June 10th, 2008 at 1:32 pm

Hey guys, football is all about entertainment. And great entertainment it was yesterday. It continues even today with your blog conversations. Football is not about what is right or wrong, it is about whether we lazy people at the TV get some drama or not. Yesterday we got it, thanks to the Netherlands AND Italy. Good luck to the two!
Fritz

By skeeter | June 10th, 2008 at 2:15 pm

Hey Netherlands… let me introduce you to my friend David Villa!

Posted from Canada

By goose | June 10th, 2008 at 2:27 pm

@Roma; f#ck off, go cry in your room

@skeeter; hey skeeter..dont care!

Posted from Netherlands

By Jan | June 10th, 2008 at 6:57 pm

Oops Romashield

I am so sorry… I was going through all the comments I made and again, I did think I was being humble and polite towards the Italians, whom I admire. Really!

The comment you refer to is the caption of the image I published. As you will see in my earlier posts (many many to chose from) I use ironic/tongue-in-cheek-sarcastic comments for that. I presented Mutu as scarface (Pacino) and commented with a joke on Thierry Henry’s divorce.

Bad taste? Sure, but it’s a style form. And funny to me. I like black humor.

Anyway, let’s not call eachother a woos here. We had Davids, Stam, Bogarde in our team once. We can be bullies and assholes on the pitch. Like the Italians. We dove for penalties (Ronald de Boer, Robben), even San Marco elbowed a player into the hospital. Hell, artist Bergkamp once stood on Mijatovic! We’re no angels! And neither are the Italians.

And to be honest: I don’t care whether he faked it or not. Or whether it’s fair or not. The ref decided. Italy unhappy. Holland happy. End of story.

Italy got a ref-break in 2006. Now you don’t. It’s football.

I loved the Italians since the 1982 WC and many Dutch fans love AC Milan for obvious reasons. I even think most Dutchies are jealous on the Italian sense of style and their ruthlessness in winning and closing down games.

Our real enemies are the Germans

So, grow up a bit. Try to see all this in good spirits. A team searching for form and recognition being happy after humiliating the World Cup holders.

That’s all it is. It’s sports.

If you really think I am a disgrace to this blog and shown bigotry, state your case to the blog-management and I am more than willing to take a bow if they decide I crossed a line.

Posted from Australia

By Giovanni | June 10th, 2008 at 7:21 pm

So the Dutch win a game against Italy once every 30 years. They should be happy. Many of these brain surgeons posting here were not even born the last time Italy lost to these pretenders. How many world cup trophies do the Dutch have? Anybody? Being the runner up does not count now. It’s one game. The story has yet to be written. We will see who emerges from this group.

Oh, and the Australians are still crying about the world cup. They have an undeserved man advantage for nearly half the game, don’t even come close to scoring, and then in the last minute, stop defending only to find Grosso alone in the box going for goal. You wimps have nobody to blame but yourselves.

Posted from United States

By bunchapooha | June 10th, 2008 at 8:13 pm

Bitter people are so funny.

“You wimps have nobody to blame but yourselves.”

Ozzies, wimps..? Crikey mate..

Posted from Netherlands

By finnster01 | June 10th, 2008 at 8:39 pm

Please people, this is the best and most active blog on the internet. Jan, the moderator is the main reason for that. He has never once put anything personal, sexual, racist, cultural or national stuff out there. A little biased perhaps, but this is Holland blog and I for one would not visit, never mind posting anything if that wasn’t the case.

I am not even Dutch (I’m Norwegian), but I like the team and the Dutch people. I also like Italians and the food, less impressed with the football, but you are the world champions and nobody can take that away from you. So when you beat the world champions in something, don’t you think people will be happy? Come on…

Everone is entitled to their opinion, but just don’t come onto this blog with personal attacks on someone who has actually shown you (Italy) a lot more respect than you get on other blogs. Good banter is one thing, personal stuff is a whole other ballgame. This blog possibly has the best moderator of all blogs, and the volume of posts and bloggers to show for it, and I find it offensive that someone could possibly insinuate anything different.

I wish Italy luck, but just because you lost a game for once (and very deservedly so) don’t take it out on someone who does not deserve it. You obviously do not understand what a blog is all about. Good luck in the rest of the tournament, because you will need it.

Posted from United States

By Mitch | June 10th, 2008 at 10:09 pm

Viva Hollandia!! I hope the boys can control themselves and be 100% ready for those dangerous Frenchies!

Posted from Netherlands

By Michel-Olivier | June 10th, 2008 at 10:28 pm

okay
the match is over it’s time to move on.
@ RomaShield27
italy lost to france 3-1 in euro qualifiers under donadoni, yes cannavaro was in the starting line up along side de rossi and no one complain when they lost. now when the dutch beat italy the italians goes wild.

Posted from United States

By Jan | June 10th, 2008 at 11:21 pm

Thanks Finn

Posted from Australia

By skeeter | June 11th, 2008 at 1:57 pm

good comeback goose!!! wow that must have taken all day to come up with that!… u might care when villa burries 3 in behind van der sar!

Posted from Canada

By Jan | June 11th, 2008 at 4:44 pm

Skeeter, we’ll deal with Spain when it’s appropriate. We have two more group games and so does Spain. Didn’t they win the first match at the WC2006 with a lot of fanfare? What happened after that?

But seriously, Spain did very well, Villa is great. I’d love to see Oranje play Spain and may be the best team win.

If you’re here to pick a fight, I won’t bite. Goose may

Posted from Australia

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