Holland's path to automatic qualification from Group Three was only prevented by a rampant Czech Republic. | HOLLAND'S PATH TO EURO 2004 Results
07.09.02: Belarus (h) 3-0
16.10.02: Austria (a) 3-0
16.10.02: Czech Rep (h) 1-1
29.03.03: Moldova (a) 2-1
02.04.03: Belarus (a) 2-0
06.09.03: Austria (h) 3-1
10.09.03: Czech Rep (a) 1-3
11.10.03: Moldova(h) 5-0
Play-offs
15.11.03: Scotland (a) 0-1
19.11.03: Scotland (h) 6-0 |
Dick Advocaat's side managed to accumulate 19 points from their eight games, with a draw and defeat against the Czechs their only hiccups.
But those setbacks meant the Dutch were forced into a play-off against Scotland in order to secure their passage to Portugal.
Holland began with two successive 3-0 wins, first over Belarus and then Austria, but were held at home by the Czech Republic.
The Czechs grabbed an all-important point when the imposing figure of Jan Koller equalised from close range after Manchester United's Ruud van Nistelrooy headed his side into the lead just before the break.
Holland were on course for a major setback in their following match when Moldova took the lead through Vadim Boret. But the trusty Van Nistelrooy and Marc van Bommel made sure they claimed the points.
Wins over Belarus and Austria followed before their away encounter in the Czech Republic.
The Czechs, up to that point, had exactly the same record, but that was to change in dramatic fashion as the home side proved far too strong for the Dutch.
Matters were not helped when Edgar Davids was sent off after fouling Karel Poborsky and giving away a penalty.
Koller put the Czechs ahead, before Poborsky doubled the lead eight minutes before the break.
Rafael van der Vaart pulled one back for Holland on the hour, but with just seconds remaining Milan Baros found himself clear of defenders and placed the ball past Edwin Van der Saar to hand the Czechs a 3-1 win.
Both the Czech Republic and Holland won their final group games, leaving the Dutch facing a two-legged play-off against Scotland.
They suffered a shock 1-0 defeat at Hampden Park, but stepped up a gear in the return leg and thrashed the Scots 6-0 in Amsterdam to seal their place in Portugal.
| GROUP THREE TABLE |
| Team | P | W | D | L | GF | GA | Pts |
| Czech Republic | 8 | 7 | 1 | 0 | 23 | 5 | 22 |
| Holland | 8 | 6 | 1 | 1 | 20 | 6 | 19 |
| Austria | 8 | 3 | 0 | 5 | 12 | 14 | 9 |
| Moldova | 8 | 2 | 0 | 6 | 5 | 19 | 6 |
| Belarus | 8 | 1 | 0 | 7 | 4 | 20 | 3 |
MMIX
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