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Dazzling Dutch thump French to reach quarters

13/06/2008

Holland continued their perfect start to Euro 2008 with a 4-1 win over France in Berne to reach the quarter-finals.

The Dutch seal top spot in Group C thanks to goals from Dirk Kuyt, Robin Van Persie, Arjen Robben, and Wesley Sneijder.

Thierry Henry scored for France, who face a must-win game against Italy to qualify for the quarter-finals on Tuesday.

Holland were unchanged from the side that thumped Italy 3-0 on Monday, while France made three changes with Henry starting and Manchester United's Patrice Evra replacing Eric Abidal.

Despite Les Bleus making a bright start, it was the Dutch who went ahead on nine minutes when Liverpool striker Kuyt headed in Giovanni Van Bronckhorst's corner at the near post.

Kuyt should have grabbed his second 12 minutes later but blazed over the bar after Lillian Thuram's poor header.

Raymond Domenech's side continued to show more urgency than they did in their last game against Romania, with Sidney Govou forcing Edwin van der Sar into a fine save with a low shot.

The Dutch had van Der Sar to thank for keeping them ahead with the Manchester United shot-stopper denying Chelsea's Florent Malouda and minutes later Franck Ribery.

Marco Van Basten brought on ex-Chelsea winger Robben at half-time and moved Sneijder behind Ruud van Nistelrooy.

But it was France who carved out the better chances with Henry feeling he should have had a penalty when a goalmouth scramble led to his low shot striking Andre Ooijer on the arm.

The Barcelona striker wasted a glorious chance on 54 minutes when being sent clear by Malouda but chipped the ball over the bar.

Holland punished Henry's miss six minutes later by going 2-0 up when van Persie, who had only been on the field for two minutes, converted Robben's cross which trickled over the line.

The World Cup runners-up grabbed a deserved goal to set-up a tense finish when Henry tucked away Willy Sagnol's low cross to make it 2-1 on 71 minutes.

But just a minute later, the Dutch sealed victory when Robben bamboozled French skipper Lillian Thuram before thumping a stunning shot into the roof of the net.

Holland continued to look deadly on the break with van Nistelrooy's header saved by Gregory Coupet and Robben flashing a low shot inches wide in the closing stages.

The tournament favourites sealed an impressive victory in stoppage time when Sneijder curled a long-range effort into the top corner to leave France stunned.