Holland 1-1 England aet (Holland win 13-12 on penalties)

2007 UEFA European Under-21 Championship
Abe Lenstra Stadion, Heerenveen
5.15pm (BST), Wednesday 20 June 2007
Live on Sky Sports

It was unlucky 13 for England as their 13th match of an unbeaten run ended in despair, sending them out of the UEFA Under-21 Championship.

They came so close to upsetting the hosts, but first number 13 Maceo Rigters pulled Holland back into the game in the dying moments of normal time, then the 13th successful Dutch penalty finished off the battle-worn Lions.

England had been in control for large portions of the game and when Leroy Lita gave them the lead six minutes before half-time, the dream was on.

But after Holland managed a late leveller, it was yet again the agony of penalties that sent England out of the tournament. However, this was nothing like ever before and it took 32 kicks to separate the sides and send the orange sea around the stadium wild.

Stuart Pearce’s side had silenced the home side almost three hours earlier. After the cheers greeted the first few touches of the ball for Royston Drenthe, he disappeared a little as the Dutch were kept at arm's length.

Their most prominent performer, Ajax’s Ryan Babel, was finding space between England’s midfield and defence, but seemed reluctant to pull the trigger. When he did, his first chance went straight into the arms of Carson and his second, another side foot, went over the bar.

Holland were the more offensive, but England’s retention of the ball, much better than it had been so far in the Championship, gave the Dutch little work with in dangerous areas. Right midfielder Daniel De Ridder had the best of their chances, three times finding space inside England’s area, but three times missing the target.

Meanwhile at the other end, David Nugent and Lita were being overshadowed in the air by the giant defensive pairing of Ron Vlaars and Ryan Donk. But on the floor it was a different matter, with Ashley Young joining in to give them something to think about.

The warning signs for Oranje coach Foppe de Haan came when Lita turned his marker inside the box, but before he could shoot with his right, referee Knut Kircher signalled for a foul by the Reading man.

But Vlaar was not going to be so lucky on the next occasion. With six minutes left before half time, Carson’s hoisted kick forward was flicked on by the leaping Nugent. Lita turned his man again, before swiping his left – like he did against Italy – and Waterman couldn’t keep it out.

The keeper had no chance with Lita’s next strike either. Three minutes into the second period, Young did well on the left and was about to go through on goal until he was sent sprawling on the corner of the box by the troubled Vlaar.

After the captain had been shown the yellow card, Lita stepped up and drilled the free-kick across goal where it smashed against the post and away to safety.

Hedwiges Maduro then helped the fans back to life. His earlier shot from distance, just after England had taken the lead, failed to concern Carson. This time, from similar range, Carson was forced down to his left to beat the ball out.

Maceo Rigters reacted to the loose ball, but so did Steven Taylor, diverting the shot over the bar.

As Holland began to get back into the game Noble and Reo-Coker both collected bookings in a five minute spell. Pearce made his final change, bringing on Anton Ferdinand for Lita in a holding midfield role to tighten up England’s defence.

And it looked like they’d hold on, until yet another high ball into the area from Holland was kept in play and directed back across the goal by Donk to where Rigters was waiting to apply the finish and give the packed Abe Lenstra Stadion another 30 minutes.

The Dutch looked inspired and England looked tired, Taylor was struggling and near the end of the first half of extra time they were reduced to ten men, losing their other defensive rock, Nedum Onuoha, through injury. It was backs to the wall stuff as England sat deep, with Matt Derbyshire the only outlet going forward.

With the onus now on the home side, Holland could not find a way through as England held on bravely to the shootout.

The epic battle from 12 yards, is another story altogether, but even with 12 successes, it was number 13 that took Holland through and sent England home.

Penalties
Holland Babel, scores (left); Drenthe, hits post (right); Janssen, scores (bottom left); Beerens, scores (right); Maduro, scores (left); De Ridder, scores (bottom right); Zuiverloon, scores (bottom right); Rigters, scores (middle); Kruiswijk, misses (over); Waterman, scores (bottom left); Beerens, scores (bottom left); Drenthe, scores (top right); Maduro, scores (bottom left); Janssen, scores (top left); De Ridder, saved (left); Zuiverloon, scores (bottom left)
England (taking first) Young, scores (top left); Milner, scores (left); Noble, scores (right); Hoyte, saved (bottom left); Derbyshire, scores (bottom left); Ferdinand, scores (top left); Carson, scores (right); Rosenior, scores (middle); Reo-Coker, saved (right); Taylor, scores (left); Young, scores (left); Milner, scores (bottom left); Noble, scores (left); Hoyte, scores (right); Derbyshire, saved (right); Ferdinand, hits bar (left)

Holland 1 Boy Waterman, 2 Gianni Zuiverloon, 3 Ron Vlaar (c) (4 Arnold Kruiswijk, 66), 5 Erik Pieters (20 Tim Janssen 76), 6 Hedwiges Maduro, 8 Royston Drenthe, 9 Ryan Babel, 11 Daniël de Ridder, 13 Maceo Rigters, 18 Ryan Donk, 22 Otman Bakkal (14 Roy Beerens, 58)
Subs not used 22 Otman Bakkal 16 Kenneth Vermeer, 23 Tim Krul, 19 Calvin Jong-A-Pin, 21 Frank van der Struijk, 12 Luigi Bruins, 17 Haris Medunjanin, 7 Julian Jenner, 15 Robbert Schilder

Goals: Rigters 89

Coach Foppe de Haan

England 1 Scott Carson, 2 Justin Hoyte, 3 Leighton Baines (14 Liam Rosenior, 46), 4 Steven Taylor, 7 Nigel Reo-Coker (c), 10 David Nugent (19 Matthew Derbyshire, 78), 11 Ashley Young, 15 James Milner, 16 Leroy Lita (5 Anton Ferdinand, 87), 18 Mark Noble, 20 Nedum Onuoha
Subs not used 6 Gary Cahill, 9 Kieran Richardson, 12 Wayne Routledge, 13 Joe Hart, 21 James Vaughan, 22 Ben Alnwick, 23 Peter Whittingham.

Goals: Lita 39

Coach Stuart Pearce

Kit Colours
Holland Orange shirts, White shorts, Blue socks
Goalkeeper Blue shirt, Bllue shorts, Blue socks
England White shirts, Blue shorts, White socks
Goalkeeper Aubergine shirt, Aubergine shorts, White socks

Match Officials
Referee Knut Kircher (GER)
Assistant referees Dimitrios Saraidaris (GRE) and Tihon Kalugin (RUS)
Fourth Official Stéphane Lannoy (FRA)

Attendance 23,467