This game may well be billed as a tale of two centre forwards. In truth, however, the difference between these teams was more profound than that. Certainly Germany’s hulking striker Mario Gomez was as spectacularly efficient as Holland’s Robin van Persie was cowed, nervous and wasteful. Gomez’s two goals at the Metalist Stadium were memorable while Van Persie once again appeared a shadow of his real self until he scored a very good goal that came rather too late.
Nevertheless, what was expected to be one of the games of the group stages between two European giants turned out to be a mismatch. Not until Holland were suddenly buoyed by Van Persie’s late strike did they ever appear to be the Germans’ equal.
Barring some peculiar results when the group concludes on Sunday evening, Germany will move threateningly forwards in Euro 2012, full of ambition, purpose and technical excellence. They really do look a very good side, better even than the version that reached the semi-final of the last World Cup.
Holland, meanwhile, are battling to stay alive as they once again reflect on some familiar internal problems and some defending that was so far from international standard as to be embarrassing. Van Persie will be hammered in Holland. That is unfortunate. Despite his long range goal in the 73rd minute here, the Arsenal player had missed two early chances that allowed Germany to settle, find their stride and score two first-half goals.
Add that to his difficulties during the opening defeat to Denmark and his tournament has been poor. But this Dutch failure is collective, not individual. Anyone who was here last night will vouch for that.
By the end, Arjen Robben was sitting in a vest by the Dutch dugout. Taken off as Bert van Marwijk’s team were chasing the game, the Bayern Munich forward has been ineffective. As has Wesley Sneijder, anonymous until he was seen arguing with Germany’s Thomas Muller as he left the field.
Take these three out of any team and you will struggle. Add two central defenders who play as though they have never seen each other before and you really do have a problem. Van Marwijk said: ‘Early on we had decent chances but the German goals came out of nowhere. We defended badly. Our offense and defense did not connect.’ As for Germany, they will head into their last group game against Denmark full of belief. Defeat in Lviv could still cause them a problem while a win for the Dutch over Portugal back here could still squeeze them through. The numbers would have to add up, though. Germany coach Joachim Loew must surely be expecting to see his side to progress. ‘We’ve taken a major step and opened the door to the quarter-finals,’ he said. ‘Now we have our destiny in our own hands.’
