Russia reach semis
Monday, 23 June 2008
BASEL, Jun 22 (AFP): Russia beat 1988 champions Holland 3-1 after extra-time in their Euro 2008 quarter-final here Saturday.
Two goals in extra-time - from Dmitri Torbinsky and Andrei Arshavin - sealed a deserved victory for the Russians, whose coach Guus Hiddink is a former Dutch national coach.
Arshavin extended Russia's lead in the 116th minute - for his second goal in two matches - after Dmitri Torbinsky had restored Russia's lead in the 112th minute with his first goal of the tournament, though, an earlier booking had ruled him out of the semi-final.
Roman Pavlyuchenko had opened the scoring in the 56th minute - his third goal of the tournament.
However, Ruud van Nistelrooy equalised for Holland in the 87th minute - his second goal of the tournament and taking him equal with Dutch legend Johan Cruyff on 33 career international goals - to make it 1-1.
The winners play either Italy or Spain in Thursday's semi-final in Vienna.
Meantime, hundreds of thousands poured out into the streets all over Russia early Sunday to a cacophony of honking and shouting as news came in of Russia's historic Euro 2008 quarter-final win over the Netherlands.
Russian President Dmitry Medvedev congratulated the Russian team on the win, saying that "it was a magnificent game and a magnificent victory," the Kremlin press service said.
Fans all over Russia echoed the sentiment -- in Moscow alone, over 700,000 people ran out into the night to hug passers-by, shoot fireworks and honk horns well into morning, police officials said.
Two goals in extra-time - from Dmitri Torbinsky and Andrei Arshavin - sealed a deserved victory for the Russians, whose coach Guus Hiddink is a former Dutch national coach.
Arshavin extended Russia's lead in the 116th minute - for his second goal in two matches - after Dmitri Torbinsky had restored Russia's lead in the 112th minute with his first goal of the tournament, though, an earlier booking had ruled him out of the semi-final.
Roman Pavlyuchenko had opened the scoring in the 56th minute - his third goal of the tournament.
However, Ruud van Nistelrooy equalised for Holland in the 87th minute - his second goal of the tournament and taking him equal with Dutch legend Johan Cruyff on 33 career international goals - to make it 1-1.
The winners play either Italy or Spain in Thursday's semi-final in Vienna.
Meantime, hundreds of thousands poured out into the streets all over Russia early Sunday to a cacophony of honking and shouting as news came in of Russia's historic Euro 2008 quarter-final win over the Netherlands.
Russian President Dmitry Medvedev congratulated the Russian team on the win, saying that "it was a magnificent game and a magnificent victory," the Kremlin press service said.
Fans all over Russia echoed the sentiment -- in Moscow alone, over 700,000 people ran out into the night to hug passers-by, shoot fireworks and honk horns well into morning, police officials said.