World Cup qual. - Scotland outclassed by Netherlands

Eurosport - Sun, 29 Mar 10:38:00 2009

An under-strength Scotland side were beaten 3-0 by the Netherlands in a World Cup qualifying Group 9 clash in Amsterdam.

FOOTBALL 2008 World Cup qual. Netherlands Netherlands-Scotland Van Persie Robben Mathijsen - 0

Goals from Klaas-Jan Huntelaar, Robin van Persie and a Dirk Kuyt penalty sealed a comfortable win for the group leaders, who now look certain to win the group.

The Oranje are a shoo-in to win the group with 12 points from four matches, putting them eight points ahead of third-placed Scotland who slipped behind Iceland on goal difference.

The Dutch were in scintillating form while Scotland - unfortunately ravaged by injury before the game - were on the back foot for much of the match.

It could have been so different had Kenny Miller not hesitated for an age after he was played clean through by impressive Cardiff winger Ross McCormack on 12 minutes.

Rangers striker Miller killed the ball with a superb first touch but waited and waited to allow Joris Mathijsen to slide across and block the finish.

With the score at 2-0 in the second half, Scotland were also disallowed what seemed to be a perfectly good goal by Gary Caldwell, with controversial French referee Laurent Duhamel blowing for no apparent reason as the Celtic defender powered home a header.

Duhamel has been banned from officiating in his homeland for a series of refereeing blunders but in truth he otherwise played little part in a match the Dutch dominated.

The hosts went ahead on the half-hour mark when Huntelaar nodded a superb Mark van Bommel centre low past Allan McGregor in the Scotland goal.

Arsenal forward Van Persie used his head to extend the lead in first-half stoppage time after he was allowed to ghost in at the near post for Arjen Robben's right-wing corner.

Robben has received criticism from Real Madrid fans and team-mates in recent weeks, but he was inspired at the Amsterdam Arena, wowing the crowd and leaving Scotland's players cold with some superb runs and tricks, one of which resulted in Kuyt firing inches wide early in the second half.

The former Chelsea winger had one great chance of his own cleared off the line by Caldwell, who was shortly afterwards denied his goal by Duhamel's reflex whistle-blow.

The hammer-blow was completed within two minutes as Huntelaar was brought down by a clumsy tackle from Wolves defender Christope Berra, who had a nightmare on his competitive debut.

Liverpool man Kuyt rolled the spot-kick into the bottom left with McGregor going the other way.

Scotland must now look to Iceland on Wednesday with second place the only realistic route to qualification for South Africa 2010.

Reda Maher / Eurosport

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  1. Reading the England supporters comments, they are­ tossers. I'm Welsh but want all our teams to do­ well.

    From geoffjones19, on Mon 30 Mar 6:04PM

  2. Scotland were pathetic last night. they dont have the­ right to complain about the referee. Hup Holland Hup.

    From Rami Najjar, on Sun 29 Mar 10:08PM

  3. the english - the most hated race of people ever to­­ walk this earth, filthy scumbags living in there­­ stinking little island over run with immigrants, a­­ pathetic scummy race of people

    From sirstevejones16, on Sun 29 Mar 8:38PM

  4. It always amuses me when read the links on Scotland­ games (or anything Scottish for that matter) that you­ get so many Sassenachs writing abuse. This comes as a­ surprise to me, as whenever I meet a Sassenach face to­ face all they seem to want to do is kiss my a*se and­ tell me how jealous they are of our culture and how­ they like the fact that we're so proud to be­ Scots!? Maybe, you should stop wasting time posting­ abuse to us and worry about your own culture, as no one­ else will :) ALBA GU BRATH!!

    From duncanmilneuk, on Sun 29 Mar 8:25PM

  5. sappercommando still leaves his uneducated comments on­ here, the guy is a complete waste of space

    From sirstevejones16, on Sun 29 Mar 7:53PM

  6. you only lost coz you scots coz you stand in the stands­ wearin skirts !! and shouting william wallace is a­ king... news flash.. hes a mug...thief.. poof.. and u­ lot follow in his foot steps !! still to robbin­ people.. ur @#$% at football... ahahaha tits..

    From dalewhitfield123, on Sun 29 Mar 7:36PM

  7. hahahah.. u dirty ginga tossas... skirt wearing­ poofs... england till i die...

    From dalewhitfield123, on Sun 29 Mar 7:31PM

  8. Ok then Ally lets see just how good ferguson would be­ if he coached the Scottish national team. Its the­ players who help to make him look good

    From laboca123, on Sun 29 Mar 6:05PM

  9. Funny, when you think that a Scottish manager has ruled­ the English Premier League since it began. My what­ short memories you all have...

    From ally12345uk, on Sun 29 Mar 6:02PM

  10. Get a grip all you home nation fanatics. The fact of­ the matter is that none of our teams are good enough to­ compete respectably in major tournaments because we­ have sold out to the greedy clubs whose owners see more­ of a business than a sporting opportunity, and buy­ their success by employing overseas players whose­ presence has decimated the chances of any half decent­ young local lad from entering the sport and developing;­ especially into a potential international player. It­ will go on and on for years and until the genuine­ problem is addressed we'll just go round in circles­ every time we try to analyse our deficiencies in this­ sport.

    From confuser_the_diffuser, on Sun 29 Mar 5:56PM

  11. The netherlands are the best passing teams in­ europe..Other than england and spain..If they keep up­ this momentum,they could easily win their group and­ head to south africa next year !! But sadly ,WHY Van­ Der Vaart didn't play ?Holland would win 5-0 up­ if he plays ( along with sneidjer) From the start­ thought ..He has creativity in his game..

    From syafiqz, on Sun 29 Mar 5:52PM

  12. Watt...you must be kidding, In Brasil and China to name­ 2, England are liked. Nobody knows and gives a @#$%­ about scotland except for the celts

    From laboca123, on Sun 29 Mar 5:44PM

  13. DOH!!!

    From Godwin, on Sun 29 Mar 5:44PM

  14. edwards435..Its just payback time

    From laboca123, on Sun 29 Mar 5:42PM

  15. Get a grip, there must be some nasty obsessive English­ fans on here that feel the need to come on the Scotland­ match page and slag them off! Wise up the lot o ya.

    From edwards435, on Sun 29 Mar 5:01PM

  16. KISS MY BUTT YOU UGLY GINGER JOCKSTRAPPING BASTADS!!!

    From hotspurs26, on Sun 29 Mar 4:54PM
  17. Comment hidden due to its low rating. Show

    What a pile of shitt scotland are, Kiss my ars you­ jocks! man they should just @#$% of and leave football­ the the big boys, COME ON ENGLAND!!!

    From hotspurs26, on Sun 29 Mar 4:47PM

  18. to the limey sappercommando25 , your a tit , get up to­ arbroath so the jocks who fight alongside you can give­ you a good kickin. @#$%!

    From JAMES, on Sun 29 Mar 4:23PM
  19. Comment hidden due to its low rating. Show

    Unlucky Scotland but again you were playing a top class­ team. We don't expect to win against Holland? At­ least you come up on the day against ENGLAND and that­ is all that matters. As long as we lose to the world­ and beat ENGLAND again i will be happy. Its only a­ game and i hope all the BRITISH teams qualify. England­ and their non ENGLISH Manager will as they have a very­ easy group. A contry that has stole for its survival­ since time began will be happy with that. Live with it­ England nobody likes you world wide. Everybody loves­ Scotland HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAH

    From watt2001uk, on Sun 29 Mar 3:40PM

  20. Lets put it this way- MON AE SCOTS!!!!
    Noo am a rangers­ supporter, and iss celtic v rangers hing is a load of­ &%^£. I think it is the fans that make this­ rivalry! Do you? Get Burley, alexander and mcormak­ OUT!!!!!

    From matt_july_97, on Sun 29 Mar 2:36PM
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