ENG: Alan Shearer (23 pen, 57), Teddy Sheringham (51, 62).

NED: Patrick Kluivert (78).

ENG: Seaman 6.5; Neville 6, Adams 6, Southgate 5.5, Ince 6.5 (Platt, 67), Pearce 5.5; McManaman 7, Gascoigne 6.5, Anderton 6.5; Sheringham 7 (Fowler, 75), SHEARER 7.5 (Barmby, 75).

NED: van der Sar 4; Reisiger 4, Blind 3.5, R. de Boer 4.5 (Cocu, 72), Bogarde 4; Winter 4, Seedorf 5, Witschge 5 (De Kock, 46 - 4.5), Jordi 4; Bergkamp 5, Hoekstra 4 (Kluivert, 72).

REFEREE: Gerd Grabber (Austria).

AUDIENCE: 76.798, Wembley, London.

YELLOW CARDS: Sheringham, Ince, Southgate (England); Winter, Blind, Bergkamp (Netherlands).

RED CARDS: NONE.

Two things proved yesterday the mistakes of Guus Hiddink. One was his regular team, which played its most dreadful games for years, and the other was Patrick Kluivert, a man who finds himself permanently on the bench and who still could score the most important goal of Holland so far after coming as a substitute. Holland is in the quarterfinals; however, seeing the yesterday's game, I seriously doubt that the team, split by a "Black and White" conflict, would go any further than that.

I have to stop for a moment, to describe the English team. I am no particular fan of it, but I had a tremendous pleasure seeing them yesterday. The defence had nearly nothing to do, but David Seaman was still always in the right place when needed. And all the other players deserve all the superlatives I can find in English. All the great penetrations of McManaman, a charm of Gascoigne, and most of all - the skill and the finishing touch of Alan Shearer and the disappointing until now Teddy Sheringham. I have a photo of mine from London's Madame Tussaud's, standing near Gascoigne and Venables; now I can say that back in the fall of 1995, I've predicted the future :-)

From the very first moments, England took the initiative. Indeed, the first shot was of Witschge (3) from a free kick, 20 meters from the net of Seaman, going too high; but that was the end of Dutch trials, excluding the opportunity of Aron Winter who headed it away from 2 meters (12). Shearer shot a bomb (8) after a corner kick, parried by Witschge from the goal-line, and then van der Sar took a high ball from the head of Sheringham (16). But then, the opener was scored. Anderton (23) sent McManaman into a penetration at the right wing, the latter made a pass to Paul Ince, and the "Italian" midfielder heeled it into the box and rushed forward to be fouled by Danny Blind. Blind was booked, and Shearer was precise from the penalty spot; van der Sar took the right direction but failed to reach the ball. 1:0.

Here Holland became more active. The headers of Winter (34) and Bergkamp (39) were high, the volley of Bergkamp (37) and the shot of Seedorf (27) were imprecise, too. The English attackers weren't sleeping either - van der Sar took the dangerous shots of Gascoigne (28) and Sheringham (31).

David Seaman proved his superb skill twice in the first half. First, he got out right in time to deny Dennis Bergkamp (25). After 40 minutes, however, it was "The Save Of The Game" - Bergkamp kidnapped the ball from Southgate and rushed forward into one-to-one situation, but Seaman won the duel, a corner.

The 2nd half, however, passed fully under the English flag. A corner of Gascoigne (51) found a head of Sheringham; 2:0, and here the Dutch were broken. A wonderful attack of Anderton - McManaman - Gascoigne - Sheringham - Shearer left the latter no choice but to score against the helpless van der Sar (57). As if it wasn't enough, a shot of Anderton (62) was deflected from the buttocks of Blind and changed its direction; van der Sar managed to parry the ball to the legs of Sheringham who had no problems to score the fourth. 4:0!

At this moment, Scotland suddenly found itself in the quarterfinals; however, Guus Hiddink made a good substitution. Patrick Kluivert, being just 5 minutes on the pitch, made the difference between an eternal shame and the quarterfinals. A wonderful preparation of Bergkamp, and Kluivert entered the box and shot between Seaman's legs, 4:1.

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