Russia sends the Netherlands home

Third party and third surprise. The Euro is still one of the strangest things we've seen in the world of football. Yesterday, a Russian trained by Guus Hiddink, Netherlands, dried to a Holland that was totally different to what we are accustomed.

Italy 3-0, 4-1 to France and 2-0 to Romania. All painted in colors for the 'Clockwork Orange' Marco Van Basten. Then came the playoffs to a party and faced Russia. Guus Hiddink knows well the selection of his country, and pitched his team so that dried to Naranjito, not able to establish themselves in the field of play throughout the match.

The opening stages of the confrontation were as everyone imagined. Strike hard and fast. Special mention for the Russian striker Arshavin, who is a real machine in the attack. His was the pass that ended prior to Pavlyuchenco center in the 56th minute to put the Russians ahead. 1-0 in favor of a Russia that played better football than Holland, who did not seem all that devastating had endorsed seven goals for the champions and runners-up in the world. Lost as he was, Semak was about to decide the match for Russia, but the crossbar intervened.

In the final minutes Holland appealed to the heroic, finding his prize at a center that Van Nistelrooy Sneijder finished off the network. The regulation time ended with the score 1-1.

What happened in overtime? As more of the same. Russia dominated a Holland that was unrecognizable. It got to the rest of the overtime with the score 1-1 on penalties and approaching from the horizon. But never come, because a center, of course, Arshavin, was sought by Torbinsky coming from behind to put the 1-2 on the scoreboard. Holland did not seem able even to send the match to the area contrary to bottle up the Russians, and on a fielder's picaresque style to Raul (remember the Champions League final 2002), the hero of the match, Arshavin, scored the third for the Russians.

Russia and await the winner of Italy - Spain in the semifinals.

Image: Marca.com