Czech Republic Qualify for Quarter-Final in Absolute Classic

With a quarter-final place beckoning the Czech Republic after winning their first match against Latvia, the Group D leaders set their stall out from the start with some inventive and determined play. Milan Baros, the highly-rated young Liverpool striker, almost put Jan Koller in on goal in the first minute only for the giant Dormund attacker to sky the chance with no defenders around him and only Edwin van der Sar to beat.

Robben opens up Czechs for Bouma

But it was the Dutch that made the very early breakthrough. Playing the Czech's at their own game, a speedy move up the field resulted in a drifting cross from Arjen Robben to the right of the Czech penalty area where Wilfred Bouma found himself unmarked. The defender's diving header was sublimely angled into the far left-hand corner of the net, leaving Petr Cech rooted to the spot. Hollnad's promise of an attacking start had produced a 4th minute goal.

Three minutes later, the Dutch lead could have doubled. Clarence Seedorf nearly marked his return to the team with a crisply hit free-kick wonder goal. The Milan midfielder curled the ball round the Czech wall from all of 30 yards only to hit the outside of the post. The adrenalin must have still been coursing through his veins when he picked up the first yellow card a minute later after bringing down Czech skipper Nedved.

Some untidy tackles by Van Bronckhorst and Van der Meybe almost provided the Czechs with chances to grab a quick equaliser on the 15 minute mark but they failed to make the most of the free kicks.

But on 21 minutes the Dutch quickly regained composure and it was Robben again who tore through the Czech defense on the left flank to deliver another killer cross which Ruud Van Nistlerooy powered home from ten yards with Cech flailing at thin air. Holland were 2-0 up and displaying a clinical instinct missing from their previous performance against Germany.

Koller halves Dutch lead

The reply came just a minute later. Baros skinned Stam on the edge of the Dutch area and retained composure long enough to thread a neat ball to Koller who lifted the ball over the advancing van der Sar to halve Holland's lead.

There was no time to take breath as the game steaked from one end to the other. One minure Jan Koller was ruing a missed opportunity to equalize, the next Johnny Heitinga was forcing a world class save from Petr Cech after his curling effort looked destined for the top left hand corner.

Not to be left out, Seedorf sent another rocket just wide from 35 yards and van der Meyde flashed his own exocet past a stunned Cech from the edge of the area to end a frantic five minutes.

Breath-taking action without end

Just before half time, Pavel Nedved showed why he is regarded as one of the world's best players by dribbling into the area in one direction, then the other before rounding van Bronckhorst and crossing for Koller to backheel his shot just wide.

Anyone blinking in Aviero was in danger of missing a masterclass as every minute brought incident. Two minutes before half-time, Edgar davids teed up a scorching effort from distance that richocheted off the inside of the post and out of danger.

There was no let up in the pace and passion once the game started again after the break. The Czechs came out fighting with Koller and Nedved both exhibiting outrageous skill to threaten van der Sar's goal within five minutes of the restart.

The Dutch reacted in kind by sending Ruud van Nistlerooy into the kind of position he relishes and his skidding shot was just turned round the post by Cech. Two corners later and the Czechs could take a breather.

But not for long as they were still search of the equalizer. The best chance of the opening 20 minutes of the second half came to Vladimir Smicer who had more time than he realized to pick his spot when found with acres of space in the area. The Liverpool midfielder was left hiding his face after scuffing the opportunity past the post.

Baros equalizes in style

There was no such embarrassment for Milan Baros however. With 20 minutes to go, Jan Koller chested down the ball on the edge of the Dutch area and Baros struck a screaming volley which flew high into the left hand corner with van der Sar at full stretch. It was the Czech striker's second goal of the tournament and he'll struggle to better it in terms of quality and importance.

The Dutch were down to ten men after Heitinga was controversially sent off after receiving a second yellow for a clumsy clash with Nedved jsu a minute after the Czech goal.

Andy van der Meyde nearly restored the Dutch lead seconds later but the Czech resolve held. They even may have taken an incredible lead on 75 minutes when Pavel Nedved's long range free kick bounced off van der Sar into the path of Jan Koller's substitute David Rozehnal whose toe poke was batted away by the Dutch keeper as he recovered.

Pavel Nedved almost won the game with another chance in the 85th minute with a viciously dipping long range volley that cracked off the cross bar with van der Sar well beaten.

The remarkable turn-around was complete with two minutes to play. Baros again drifted inside the retreating defense and laid the ball off to Marek Heinz who hit it first time. Van der Sar parried the ball into the path of Karel Poborsky who cleverly cut the ball back across the goal for Vlad Smicer to knock the ball into an empty net to seal an incredible victory for the Czech Republic and book the first quarter-final spot.

Holland: Van der Sar; Heitinga, Bouma, Stam, Van Bronckhorst; Seedorf, Davids, Cocu, Van der Meyde, Robben, Van Nistelrooy.
Subs: Westerveld, Waterreus, Reiziger, Kluivert, Van der Vaart, Bosvelt, de Boer, Makaay, Overmars, Sneijder, Van Hooijdonk, Zenden.

Czech Republic: Cech, Grygera, Ujfalusi, Jiranek, Jankulovski, Galasek, Poborsky, Rosicky, Nedved, Baros, Koller
Subs: Blazek, Kinsky, Mares, Smicer, Lokvenc, Vachousek, Hubschman, Heinz, Tyce, Plasil, Rozehnal.