England hit high notes against discordant Dutch

WAS this for real? A crazy, memorable night. The prematch script was gloriously shredded by a vibrant England. Euro 96 has been ignited. Football's Coming Home they sang with gusto, and after this it has.

The Dutch probably wish they were as well. Routed beyond belief they were. Yet, they somehow pieced the script together again with what they clearly regarded as a mere consolation goal by Patrick Kluivert 13 minutes from time.

Whether they have the desire to piece their multi talented but discordant and shattered team together is a moot point. As they traipsed off the pitch in hang dog fashion only Kluivert reacted to the announcement that they were through.

The home crowd's boos drowned a cheer of sort from the hitherto somnolent Dutch supporters as Kluivert raised his arms in modest celebration. Eventually one team mate put an arm around him. The rest didn't flicker.

Another theme tune, We're In This Together, has also assumed an unintentional significance. England are; Holland aren't. That much became evident after a puzzling and destabilising half time reshuffle by Dutch coach Guus Hiddink and England's devastating three goal burst in 12 minutes which followed.

Credit where it is due however. Terry Venables has stuck by the same starting line up in the face of criticism throughout, and England have improved with every game.

Venables stressed the "movement" of his team continually. Indeed, in this they were unrecognisable from before. Their fluidity was startling. Even in the first half they had attempted to match the Dutch by interchanging positions, using the flanks and passing along the ground. They were as good too if not better, before turning up the heat superbly after the break.

There were two goals apiece for Alan Shearer and for his less orthodox striking partner Teddy Sheringham. The Tottenham man deserved no less for his awareness and skill, often dropping deeper than the midfielders to lend his vision to the proceedings. He had a critical say in both Shearer goals.

England laid the foundations at the back, where the ever maturing, unfazed Gareth Southgate subdued an initially lively Dennis Bergkamp as well as distributing the ball comfortably. Paul Ince was the rock of the midfield around which Paul Gascoigne and co buzzed.

Alas, this win came at a cost, for Ince's second caution of the finals suspends him from Saturday's quarter final with Spain at Wembley. There is no one quite like him in the English squad for that holding midfield role.

It was from a half cleared Dutch corner that England successfully launched the first of several lightening counter attacks.

Ince played the ball short to Sheringham who picked out the rampaging Steve McManaman on the touchline. He cleverly held the ball up for Ince to skilfully drag the ball past Danny Blind and induce the late tackle. Shearer struck a sweet penalty inside Edwin Van der Sar's right post.

Holland were still in the mood until the break and had their chances. Clarence Seedorf twice shot over, Aron Winter nearly converted another Richard Witschge corner, Bergkamp fired over and headed wide, and then for once outmanoeuvred Southgate only for David Seaman to save adroitly low to his left.

But all changed after the break. The Dutch looked out of sorts once Hiddink introduced the limited Johan de Kock alongside Blind, and releasing Winston Bogarde to an ill suited midfield role instead of the classy Witschge.

It seemed bizarre, all the more so after 62 minutes when the scoreboard read 4-0. A slick counter attack in the 50th minute yielded a corner from which Sheringham scored a surprisingly simple goal. He rose above Winter to head inside an unguarded far post.

Six minutes later Gascoigne made the initial incision, working a 1-2 with McManaman before squaring the ball inside to Sheringham. As if on a training ground, he unselfishly teed up Shearer at the far post.

Within another seven minutes Holland were really reeling. The ineffectual de Kock lost possession, enabling Darren Anderton to cut in and deliver a deflected shot which Van Der Sar saved. However, Sheringham tucked home the rebound.

Hiddink was aware that the Dutch still only required a goal to qualify if events stayed the same at Villa Park, even if his disaffected players didn't seem to share his enthusiasm.

Belatedly Hiddink introduced the rusty Kluivert, surprisingly to play behind Bergkamp. Somehow, it paid off. Bergkamp stretched to pull down a lazy ball from Seedorf and chipped it into the path of Kluivert, who nutmegged Seaman from a tight angle with a soft flick. It was either brilliant or lucky, for which he didn't so much as get a high five.