VIDEO: England 4-1 Holland
Sunday, 19 February, 2012
Who can forget Holland's last visit to Wembley in 1996?
Watch highlights from England's 4-1 win over Holland at Euro 96 on FATV
Holland make their fvisit to Wembley Stadium in nearly 16 years on Wednesday 29 February. And who can forget that last encounter, a 4-1 victory for England at Euro 96.
England’s third and final ‘Group A’ fixture during that fantastic tournament will be your favourite match against Holland if you’re English. Terry Venables’ side put on a display of passion and power that left home fans in a crowd is nearly 77,000 feeling high on victory.
There were several heart-stopping high points as ‘Football Came Home’ during the tournament. England began with a frustrating draw in the opening match, exactly as they had done in ‘66, but Gazza netted a magical clinching goal against the Scots a week later. Fancied Holland would be swept aside on ‘Orange Night’ to allow England to top the group and secure a quarter-final at Wembley.
It was Teddy Sheringham who sparked England’s opening goal on 23 minutes, releasing the ball as if out of a catapult into Steve McManaman’s urgent stride. Paul Ince surged into the box, using his instep to flick the ball on, and Blind sent him flying. Alan Shearer, destined to finish the tournament as top scorer, slammed home the penalty and the stadium erupted.
Early in the second half England enjoyed a dreamlike eleven minutes in which they scored three times. Gazza swung in a corner from the left and Sheringham, loitering near the penalty mark, found enough power with his header to beat Van der Sar. Gazza helped to create the next, gliding past Winter’s challenge to lay the ball on a plate for Sheringham.
The Tottenham man feinted to shoot and cleverly diverted it to Shearer who drove it in with awesome force. The Dutch disarray was complete as Sheringham notched his second and England’s fourth after the ‘keeper had pushed out a Darren Anderton effort. On 77 minutes substitute Kluivert scored the consolation goal which kept the Dutch in the competition.
One journalist wrote: “When Teddy Sheringham slid the fourth goal past Van der Sar, the sound of pure joy was heard all around Wembley. England’s fans had found eleven players whose deeds matched their dreams”. The country had actually died and gone to football heaven.
1996
Braveheart with Mel Gibson beat Apollo 13 and Babe to ‘Best Picture’. The ‘Best Actor’ and ‘Best Actress’ were Nicolas Cage and Susan Sarandon in Leaving Las Vegas and Dead Man Walking. The hit songs were Wannabe by the Spice Girls, Killing Me Softly by the Fugees and Wonderwall by Oasis. The Monkees made a comeback. Prince Charles and Diana, Princess of Wales, were divorced as Mad Cow Disease hit Britain.
Tickets for Holland's next visit to Wembley on 29 February are still available to buy priced at £65, £55, £45, £35
Hotline: 0844 826 2010
Website: www.TheFA.com/tickets
Disabled supporters:
Hotline: 0845 458 1966