PORTO, 16 June 2004 — Striker Ruud van Nistelrooy scored late to earn the Netherlands a 1-1 draw with Germany who dominated their much-anticipated Euro 2004 opener yesterday.
The Germans deservedly led through Torsten Fring’s 30th-minute free kick and the Dutch rarely threatened an equalizer before Van Nistelrooy turned sharply to hook in a right-wing cross from close range.
The Dutch created the first chance after only two minutes when skipper Philip Cocu lobbed the German defense but the ball was just beyond the reach of Van Nistelrooy who failed to connect. Apart from that the Dutch had very few chances of note, largely because German coach Rudi Voeller won the tactical battle against his Dutch rival Dick Advocaat. The Netherlands played with Van Nistelrooy as a lone striker as expected, but he was isolated time and again and surrounded at times by up to five German defenders.
The tactic failed because of ineffective midfield displays from Edgar Davids and Boudewijn Zenden who were both replaced at halftime. They were largely played out of the match by robust tackling and defending by the German defenders, especially the outstanding Christian Woerns.
Michael Ballack, substitute Bastian Schweinsteiger and striker Kevin Kuranyi all tested Van der Sar as the Dutch left space at the back pressing forward for an equalizer.
It finally came and German goalkeeper and captain Oliver Kahn, celebrating his 35th birthday, had a rather more subdued celebration than seemed likely.
Czechs Survive Latvian Scare to Win 2-1
In Aveiro, strikers Milan Baros and substitute Marek Heinz spared the Czech Republic’s blushes with two second-half goals to give them a 2-1 win over debutants Latvia in their Euro 2004 Group D match yesterday.
Latvia can still look on the result as a great achievement after holding the lead for 27 minutes following the shock goal that put them ahead in first-half injury time.
Heinz struck the winner after 85 minutes when Baros hooked the ball over keeper Aleksandrs Kolinko and defender Mihails Zemlinskis cleared straight to Heinz who steered it home.
Baros rifled the equalizer in the 73rd minute from a Karel Poborsky cross after the Latvians had stunned the Czechs with a brilliantly fast and simple counterattack finished by striker Maris Verpakovskis on the stroke of halftime.
The Czechs had far more of the ball but rarely found the right touch when in sight of goal.
The Latvians gave away a string of corners as the Czechs, seeking to get an early breakthrough, pinned them back but the final ball always went Latvia’s way. With 10 minutes on the clock, Nedved’s blistering shot from right was blocked by center back Igors Stepanovs.
The Czechs could have scored in the 12th when Nedved crossed from the right but Kolinko just got a hand to the ball to deflect it from the head of the towering Jan Koller.
Latvia’s strike partnership gave notice after a quarter of an hour of what might come later when Prohorenkovs broke behind Jankulovski on the right wing and sent in a low cross but Verpakovskis just failed to make contact from one meter.
Midway through the first half, midfielder Tomas Rosicky shot from the edge of the box, bringing a diving save from Kolinko.
With less than half an hour to go Baros chested a cross down in the box and turned but shot over the bar. He then missed a sitter from two meters when Karel Poborsky’s right wing cross proved too high for Koller but fell to him at the far post. Kolinko dived to his left to save a stinging low shot from Nedved with 20 minutes to go but it was left to the Czech’s substitute striker to secure the victory.
