Netherlands 3-0 Italy: ADP’s Euro 2008 Adventure Didn’t Start in the Best of Ways…

By: Marco P. | June 10th, 2008

Alessandro Del Piero gets fouled by Andre Ooijer in Italy's Euro 2008 match opener vs. Netherlands
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Boy, that was a rough Monday for everyone huh? Well… not everyone… not anyone wearing orange certainly. For the people wearing blue though… ouch!

Italy's Antonio Di Natale, right, is substituted by Alessandro Del Piero, center, during the group C match between the Netherlands and Italy in Bern, Switzerland, Monday, June 9, 2008, at the Euro 2008 European Soccer Championships in Austria and Switzerland. .

ADP came on in minute 64, replacing Antonio Di Natale at a time during which Italy were 2-0 down, with their morale and play down the gutter. He immediately got into the match and re-invigorated the Azzurri’s spirit with his technique & dribbling skills, getting a good shot on target (saved by van der Sar) and hitting a curling shot narrowly wide of the right post. However, it wasn’t enough and Italy suffered yet another goal to lose the game 3-0.

Final statistics for ADP: 1 shot on target, 1 shot wide, 2 fouls suffered, 2 offsides.
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Italy's Alessandro Del Piero reacts during the group C match between the Netherlands and Italy in Bern, Switzerland, Monday, June 9, 2008, at the Euro 2008 European Soccer Championships in Austria and Switzerland. (AP Photo by Armando Franca) Here’s what Del Piero had to say after the match (from alessandrodelpiero.com):

Euro 2008 Bern – Stade de Suisse Wankdorf
June, 9th 2008
Netherlands 3-0 Italy

Bern. It was a bad start, a match which we played negatively under many aspects. However, just like we stick together to celebrate our victories, we must also be united in times of defeat.

Maintaining this fighting spirit, we have to gather energy and concentration to do our best in the match on Friday, wich we must win at all costs.

See you soon,

Alessandro

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Based on the extent of the damage (coupled with Di Natale’s poor performance), it wouldn’t be too big a surprise to see ADP get a start vs. Romania on Friday. Forza Capitano!!!

You can read my full review of Netherlands vs. Italy in the following post:
Euro 2008: Netherlands 3-0 Italy – Azzurri Crushed in their Tournament Opener, Or: Cannavaro Where Art Thou?

	NETHERLANDS-ITALY 3-0 [Match Highlights]
GOALSCORERS: 26’ Van Nistelrooy (N), 31’ Sneijder (N), 79’ van Bronckhorst (N)
NETHERLANDS (4-2-3-1): Van der Sar – Ooijer, Boulahrouz (77’ Heitinga), Mathijsen, van Bronckhorst – de Jong, Engelaar – Kuyt (91’ Afellay), van der Vaart, Sneijder – van Nistelrooy (70’ van Persie). (bench: Timmer, Stekelemburg, de Zeeuw, Robben, Melchiot, Bouma, de Cler, Huntelaar, Vennegoor). Coach: Marco van Basten
ITALY (4-3-3): Buffon – Panucci, Barzagli, Materazzi (54’ Grosso), Zambrotta – Gattuso, Pirlo, Ambrosini – Camoranesi (75’ Cassano), Toni, Di Natale (64’ Del Piero) (bench: De Sanctis, Amelia, Chiellini, Gamberini, De Rossi, Perrotta, Aquilani, Quagliarella, Borriello). Coach: Roberto Donadoni.

Italy's Alessandro Del Piero (R) and Netherlands' goalkeeper Edwin van der Sar embrace after their Group C Euro 2008 soccer match at the Stade de Suisse Stadium in Bern June 9, 2008. The two players were teammates at Juventus for two seasons (1999-2001)