Young Dutch team thrashes Ireland

17 August 2006

AMSTERDAM — Marco van Basten’s remodelled Dutch team put the disappointment of the World Cup behind them to beat Ireland 4-0 on Wednesday night in Dublin.

Young Ajax goal predator Klaas-Jan Huntelaar scored twice and set up two others in what was his debut for Holland in this friendly match.

Ireland’s novice coach Steve Staunton witnessed his side’s heaviest home defeat for more than 20 years.

“It’s very disappointing,” admitted Staunton, who earlier this week was confronted by a man brandishing a replica gun outside Ireland’s team hotel. “Holland were class and we never got near them in the first half.”

Staunton was without eight of his better players, including Shay Given, Damien Duff and Robbie Keane, and the enforced changes persuaded him to try out an experimental 4-3-2-1 formation.

For the Dutch, this was not just a warm-up for the qualification round of the European Championships in 2008.

Van Basten had made some controversial changes to his starting selection, with no place for experienced players such as Mark van Bommel and Ruud van Nistelrooij, while Phillip Cocu has recently retired from international duty.

Besides Huntelaar, Stijn Schaars, Urby Emanuelson and Theo Janssen also made their debuts. The coach had been heavily criticised by the press and for the first time by Dutch players.

Subject: Dutch news