MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Holland impress with 3-0 victory over Belarus

by Patrick Watts in Eindhoven.

Holland put the memories of their disastrous World Cup qualifying campaign behind them, by outplaying Belarus in their first qualifying match for the 2004 European Championships. First half goals by Edgar Davids and Patrick Kluivert in the 35th and 37th minutes eased the tension, both for the players and fans, in the 34,000 capacity Philips Stadium in Eindhoven. Substitute Jerrel Hasselbaink added a late third goal.

Following a generally unimpressive series of 'friendly' matches in the build-up to the qualfying games for the finals, which will be staged in Portugal, the Dutch team dominated throughout.

New coach Dick Advocaat, despite considerable criticism in the Nederlands press, stuck with many of the familiar faces from the last two qualifying campaigns. Van der Sar, Frank de Boer, Zenden, Davids, Cocu, Kluivert and the controversial veteran Jaap Stam, all made the starting line-up. Stam was hastily transferred from Manchester United to Lazio in Italy, last year, following the publication of his book, in which he criticised fellow-players. Then followed a period of suspension after he tested positive for taking a banned substance. Advocaat said that he still rates Staam, 'as one of the best defenders in the world'.

The new coach, despite fielding many of the 'old guard' introduced a more positive and attacking policy. Gone was the tedious and often laborious system of the defenders retaining the ball within their own half of the field for long periods of time. Advocaat acknowledged the more entertaining approach, but would not give a confirmed promise that he would maintain the change in the games ahead. He said, 'It very much depends on who we are playing and the strengths and weaknesses which they have'.

Starting with just 2 players from the Eredivisie (Premier Division), Van Bommel of PSV and the newcomer Van der Meyde of champions Ajax, Holland withstood some tough tackling from the Belarus side, before taking the lead in the 35th minute. Still wearing protective eye shields and pony-tail hair, the Juventus player Edgar Davids, strode purposely forward and from fully 20 meters fired the ball low into the net. 2 minutes later the hard-working Chelsea winger Boudewijn Zenden, broke free down the left side of the field and crossed the ball perfectly for Barcelona's Patrick Kluivert to rise high and head the ball firmly past the hapless Belarus goal-keeper Shantolosov.

With the 2nd half progressing and the fans becoming restless at the lack of more goals, Advocaat introduced the bright new star of Dutch football, Rafael van der Vaart of Ajax. It was not long before the 20 year old showed why he is so highly rated. Taking the ball from the half-way line, he strode through the Belarus defence, before passing to Kluivert who then squared the ball to Hasselbaink, another substitute. He took time before poking the ball into the net from close-range to make the score 3-0.

Much to the disappointment of the orange clad crowd, Van der Vaart had to be taken off following a injury, while the Belarus player Romashchenko was red-carded after a kicking exchange with Hasselbaink.

3 points safely stored in the bank on the long road to Portugal 2004, but Dick Advocaat knows that more tougher assignments are ahead, with matches against the Czech Republic and Austria to come.