Sunday brings crunch time in Group B at Euro 2012 and all four nations in the so-called ‘Group of Death’ can still make it through to the quarter-finals stage, with Holland priced up 5/1 ‘To Qualify‘.
It has not been a tournament to remember for the Dutch so far this summer but they can still make it into the last eight although their fate is out of their hands following back-to-back defeats to Denmark and Germany.
Bert van Marwijk and his men know ahead of their clash with Portugal in Kharkiv that they must win the game by a two-goal margin while they also need Denmark to slip to defeat against Germany to get out of jail.
The downside is that Germany will top Group B even if they are held to a draw by the Danes which would then render Holland’s result meaningless.
The Dutch can only focus on their own game, however, and the simple fact is that they need goals in order to take advantage should the other result go their way (Holland 18/1 – To Win 3/1).
History, though, is not on Holland’s side as no side has ever made the knockout stage after losing their first two games, but surely if that statistic is to be overcome then the men in orange have as good a chance as any other side.
Van Marwijk knows he must throw caution to the wind and play an attack-minded side so there might not be a place for destroyer Nigel de Jong, with striker striker Klaas-Jan Huntelaar (9/1 – To Score Two Or More Goals) pushing for a deserved start.
Holland certainly have plenty of creativity on their bench in the shape of Rafael van der Vaart, however they have created chances and would not be in this mess had they been more clinical in front of goal.
The problem facing van Marwijk is that he must go for the jugular yet also be mindful of the likes of Cristiano Ronaldo, Nani, Raul Meireles and Joao Moutinho who will all be bearing down on a Dutch defence that is not the strongest in Poland and Ukraine (Portugal 9/5, draw 11/5, Holland 13/8 – 90 Minutes).
The Portuguese will go through with a win unless Denmark win by a one-goal margin – other than 2-1 and 1-0 – against the Germans who have again demonstrated their prowess at tournament football.
Head coach Paulo Bento may not be presiding over Portugal’s golden generation but this crop is not too shabby and the fact he is set to name the same XI for the fifth competitive game in a row – compared to van Marwijk’s desperate juggling act – means the men from the Iberian peninsula will ge the win and keep their fingers crossed over matters in Lviv.
Portugal are 4/9 to make it to the knockout stage for the fifth European Championships in a row.
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