About 87 mins over now, and 3-0 Holland.

The linesman should be shot, but Italy really need Cannavaro keeping it tight back there. The marking is slack as fuck.

This game was quite ridiculous. The 1-0 was off-side (unless I missed something big), but the 2-0 was great and the 3-0 good too.

It wasn't just offside, it was the most blatant offside goal I've seen in a long time. I know someone who probably isn't going to referee any more matches this tournament.

Regardless, Holland was a class or two better than Italy and deserved to win. I won't say I'm happy for them - cos I was rooting for Italy - but the Italians were crappy and the Dutch great.

Whatever happened to the oh so famed Italian defensive prowess? It looked like a fucking sieve back there. Not to mention Toni's clumsy work up front...Italy only became dangerous when Del Piero came on (and why so late?).

lol yeah watched the Holland v Italy match, first goal was so blatantly offside even I could see it And #2 and #3 were good from the Dutch but oh, the Italians should be embarrassed they let them in!

Caz knows what offside is!!!!!!!!

Van Nistoolroy is well known for standing offside like that then drifting back in just before the ball is played, he's been doing it for years to try and confuse defenders. Even he looked embarrassed by that, officially now the most offside goal ever, even worse than kluiverts goal against liverpool a few years ago.

Heh, according to the UEFA, the defender that was knocked outside the pitch before the pass to van Nistelrooij wasn't out of play (some obscure rule I guess), so it wasn't off-side at all. http://www.goal.com/en/Articolo.aspx?ContenutoId=729918

I know the player was behind the line but he was down and not moving, rather far away from actual play and over a meter behind the goal line...I don't think any sensible referee would include him to apply to off-side rule.

That's a pretty retarded rule...so from now on teams better kick one player off the pitch during set pieces, so it's never gonna be off-side.

I won't say the rule isn't retarded, just that I don't mind the rule for now.

Key part: "The rules specify on whether or not a player leaves the field voluntarily or involuntarily in an attempt to play the striker offside. "

They're just trying to make it look not that great of an error. For me it's clear that Panucci didn't go outside the lines on purpose, to set someone offside. So he wasn't in play at all. Offside. No discussion possible.

And yeah, Van Nistelrooy's reaction was funny as hell: what ... they're not ruling me offside .. i'm gonna wait with my celebration a bit .. no still no whistle, is that linesman blind or what ... well then: woohoo i scored!

LOL @ Pev knowing wtf offside is.

I don't know the excuse/justification that UEFA gave but it's BS.

As for Italy's defending, it was substandard. Pannucci and Materazzi aren't really top-class. We're missing Maldini and Cannavaro, probably Cannavaro more since he's captain.

The Italian midfield was bad too. At the second goal, there was far too much space in the midfield and defence, and the Italian players were apparently too old to close that space quickly enough. I hope you guys beat France though. Anything to keep France from progressing is good to me.

Agreed about the MF, although you can still win with a shite MF and a solid DF, which to be honest is sometimes the Italian way.

I think it's important to note that the win was primarily assisted by Italy (+ line-o), not that the Dutch actually showed a 3-0 class:

1st goal was a gift as we know.

2nd goal was Di Natale (striker) choosing to chase back and help out with the Dutch counterattack, then remembering "oh, shit I dont actually know HOW to mark".

3rd goal was a counter-attack from Italy's desperate counterattack. Although the marking here was totally unnacceptble.

Anyway, enough of this match Bring on Romania!

Who's playing tonight?

Tonight's first match will pitch the Czechs against Portugal (die Ronaldo die!). Later tonight we'll see Switzerland against Turkey. Let's hope Switzerland can up it's game from the first match. And let's hope Ronaldo is badly injured.

+ 1 on Ronaldo cripplage.

Can we get some wild fantasies how he is supposedly crippled? Takedown, kneecaps, Chuck Norris?