Holland loses, but in football finals
The Netherlands lost 2-1 to Belarus in their final football Euro 2008 Group G qualifier on Wednesday.
The Dutch, who had already qualified for the finals, were 2-0 down 20 minutes into the second half when Rafael van der Vaart pulled a goal back one minute from time.
‘If we play without any focus and concentration like we did in the second half we are just an average team,’ coach Marco van Basten said. ‘The second half was chaotic and plain bad,’ he told the Telegraaf.
The Dutch finished a point ahead of third-placed Bulgaria.
With Russia and Poland also qualifying, there will be three Dutch coaches at the championship next year. Leo Beenhakker is Poland coach and Guus Hiddink is at the helm in Russia.
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