SportingLife.com, UK
March 30 2005
Holland 2 Armenia 0
Holland picked up the gauntlet thrown down earlier by the Czech
Republic by beating Armenia to return to top spot in World Cup
European Zone Group One on Wednesday evening.
Romeo Castelen gave the Dutch an early advantage and when Ruud van
Nistelrooy added another later in the first half the match was
virtually over.
Earlier in the day, a 4-0 win for the Czech Republic in Andorra had
seen Marco van Basten’s side lose top spot to a side that has
generally had the better of them in recent encounters.
However, the Oranje also showed no mercy to one of European
football’s less established sides to put the Dutch in pole position
once more.
With Romania just two points behind the Dutch there is still plenty
to play for in what is proving a competitive group.
Castelen’s early strike was a self-inflicted wound for the Armenians
whose defence were left floundering by a Mark van Bommel corner, thus
allowing Castelen to score.
Van Bommel, being watched by some of Europe’s leading clubs after
some excellent performances in the Champions League for PSV
Eindhoven, delighted his home fans by also being involved in the
second.
His pass found Van Nistelrooy and the Manchester United hitman gave
goalkeeper Roman Berezovski no chance.
Armenian forays into Dutch territory were something of a rarity
although goalkeeper Edwin van der Sar was called into action to deny
Armen Shahgeldyan.
The experienced Berezovksi was by far the busier of the two
custodians and did well to deny Van Nistelrooy his second goal in the
second half.
Giovanni van Bronckhorst was unfortunate not to grab a third goal for
the Oranje when he rattled the woodwork with a long-range effort.
After adverse results against the Czechs in qualification for Euro
2004, and then throwing away a 2-0 lead to lose 3-2 in Aveiro in a
classic encounter to their bogey team, the Dutch can at least know
they have Bruckner and his men where they want them at this stage of
qualification.
With Romania having played one game more and the other teams in the
group nowhere the opportunity is there for Van Basten to do what his
predecessor Dick Advocaat failed to achieve.
Teams
Holland Van der Sar, Kromkamp, Mathijsen, Van Bronckhorst, Bouma,
Landzaat (Van der Vaart 50), Castelen (Babel 50), Van Bommel, van
Nistelrooy, Cocu, Kuijt (Vennegoor of Hesselink 81).
Subs Not Used: Timmer, Melchiot, Maduro.
Booked: Van der Vaart.
Goals: Castelen 3, van Nistelrooy 34.
Armenia Berezovsky, Melikian, Dokhoyan, Hovsepyan (Arman Karamian
84), Arzumanian (Tadevosian 85), Grigorian (Artavazd Karamian 60),
Khachatrian, Shahgeldyan, Voskanian, Hakobian, Mkhitarian.
Subs Not Used: Nazarian, Apula Edima Bete, Jenebian, Karen
Aleksanian.
Booked: Grigorian, Hovsepyan, Melikian.
Att: 33,000
Ref: Matteo Trefoloni (Italy).