Russia’s energy levels in the extra-time proved decisive. After Torbinski had poked home a finish in the 112th minute, the lively Arshavin made Russia’s qualification safe with a third goal four minutes later. By Steve Douglas.
Dmitri Torbinski and Andrei Arshavin scored in the second-half of extra-time as Russia powered into the semifinals of Euro 2008 with a stunning but deserved victory over Holland in Basel.
Ruud van Nistelrooy had taken an extraordinary match into extra-time, cancelling out Roman Pavlyuchenko’s 56th-minute opener with a stooping header four minutes before the end of regulation time.
But Russia’s energy levels in the extra-time proved decisive. After Torbinski had poked home a finish in the 112th minute, the lively Arshavin made Russia’s qualification safe with a third goal four minutes later.
Dutchman Guus Hiddink, the Russia coach, was the architect of Holland’s elimination from a tournament it was favoured to win after emphatic victories over continental heavyweights Italy and France in the ‘Group of Death’.
Hiddink, the wily master tactician, risks being public enemy number one in his homeland after pulling off his latest masterstroke but Russia fully deserved its triumph. The team became the third pool runner-up to qualify for the last four.
Prior to the match, former Holland coach Hiddink had shrugged off fears of being labelled a “traitor” back home. Instead, he urged his players to go out and “enjoy” themselves in the biggest match of their lives, and they did just that. Indeed they will wonder how the game went so deep.
Russia had its opponent rattled early on. Hiddink’s smothering tactics worked to perfection as Dutch playmakers Rafael van der Vaart and Wesley Sneijder were frozen out and an assured Russia had the better of the early chances. Yuri Zhirkov’s free-kick drew a smart save from Edwin van der Sar and Pavlyuchenko headed wastefully over when free eight yards out.
The Oranje fans, who again dominated the majority of the stadium, were suddenly subdued.
Holland improved slightly and midway through the first-half, Orlando Engelaar fired just wide and Van Nistelrooy somehow failed to get on the end of Van der Vaart’s swinging free-kick.
Russia remained dangerous, and it was the unlikely source of centre-back Denis Kolodin who almost put the team ahead, his first rasping drive tipped over by Van der Sar and another — again from 35 yards — narrowly clearing the crossbar.
Van der Sar was working overtime, pushing away Arshavin’s curler with his fingertips, and Van Basten would have walked to the dressing room at half-time slightly concerned.
Denied the luxury of introducing Arjen Robben off the bench — the Real Madrid winger did not take part in the pre-match warm-up because of a slight groin strain — Van Basten instead opted for Robin van Persie for the second-half.
It almost turned out to be a tactical masterstroke, the Arsenal forward — who replaced the ineffective Dirk Kuyt — volleying just off target within seconds of coming on. Van Persie was then cautioned for use of the elbow but worse was to follow for Holland when Pavlyuchenko broke the deadlock. Sergei Semak broke free down the left and crossed low for the Spartak Moscow striker to sidefoot a volley home left-footed.
Holland was behind for the first time in this tournament, and its title credentials were being firmly put to the test. Van Persie was still plugging away though, driving a shot over, heading Van der Vaart’s corner wide and then spooning a free-kick over after Kolodin was booked for fouling Van Nistelrooy. That means the defender will now miss the semifinal.
In a tense last 10 minutes before the whistle, substitute Torbinski should have wrapped it up for Russia but he did not get decent purchase on a lay-off by Zhirkov, who may have been better off shooting instead.
And Russia was made to pay when Van Nistelrooy took the game into extra-time, heading home Sneijder’s free-kick at the far post from close range in the 86th minute.
A key decision came with seconds left in stoppage time. Kolodin thought he had received his second yellow card for bringing down Sneijder — but the assistant referee spared the 26-year-old by signalling the ball had earlier gone out of play.
So to extra time it went, and after Arshavin had shot wastefully over, Pavlyuchenko struck the crossbar with a fierce effort from the angle. Russia held the whip hand, its superior fitness telling, and Torbinski’s close-range effort was weak with just Van der Sar to beat in the 98th minute.
The second-half of extra-time was a similar story, the Russian players swarming all over the Dutch but they could not find the cutting edge until Torbinski slid to tap home Arshavin’s deft far-post cross. Arshavin then scored the killer third by turning his marker and slipping home a deflected shot through Van der Sar’s legs.
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