Russia’s pre tournament target must of been to get to the final game still with a chance of qualifying and then unleash Arshavin. They managed to, just, Sweden buckled under some outstanding counter attacking and free flowing football. Despite that, not many gave them a chance against tournament favourites Holland, who’d comprehensivley qualified from the so called “group of death”, Wortld cup finalists France and winners Italy were both put to the sword. However, Russia was a different kettle of fish, extra time only accomplished due to Ruud’s late show for Holland. Arshavin again took over, running the game, and contributing with the 3rd and final goal,sending the Dutch home with their tails between their legs. Next up Spain, an equally tough ask, but harder than Holland, debatable?

 Zenith are the team benefiting from Arshavin’s performance now, whether they make the final or not. Linked before the tournament with the likes of Everton, Man City and Newcastle, surely now he’ll of moved up a level, expect Arsenal, Chelsea and Liverpool linked, but don’t be surprised to see the cream of Spanish and Italian football registering their interest. Arshavin’s bank balance is more than likely to reap the benefits, what chance European Footballer of the year in years to come, a true raw talent and one that has given us great Euro 2008 memories already……if Ronaldo is worth £75mil, Arshavin is not far short of his levels

The first half of this game was very much Russia’s they dominated possesion but couldn’t put the ball in the net on the other hand the Netherlands didn’t produce as much of there usual counter atttack and only looked dangerous from set pieces.

Yuri Zhirkov went close with a sixth-minute free-kick that Edwin Van der Sar was forced to touch behind for a corner, from which Russia had successive chances from Denis Kolodin and Pavlyuchenko. The Netherlands had the next two opportunities, through Orlando Engelaar’s drive wide and a Van Nistelrooy miss when Rafael van der Vaart sent a brilliant free-kick to the far post.

Van der Sar was called into action again when he made a great low save after playmaker Arshavin tricked his way into a shooting position, while the corner that followed was cleared to Kolodin, who hammered a ridiculous shot from 35 yards that Van der Sar again kept out. Kolodin a few minutes later launched another rocket but just missed it going past the post.

The Dutch were ralling to try and produce some of their group form and almost exposed a vulnerable Russian defence. Kolodin who was attacking strongly left his defencive duties behind which almost let Van Nistelrooy in before he handed a chance on a plate to Van der Vaart, who was denied by keeper Igor Akinfeev.

So both teams went into half time at 0-0 with Guus Hiddink’s Russia looking very strong against a unbelievable poor Netherlands after their group form. Van Basten decided to make a half time change and brought Robin van Persie on for the ineffectual Dirk Kuyt.

Only 11 minutes into the second half Russia struck: Arshavin played a cute pass into Sergei Semak on the left, who whipped in a superb cross to Pavlyuchenko who atoned for his early miss with a simple finish past the helpless Van der Sar. With a 1-0 lead Russia looked in the prime position even if there was 3 quarters of the half left because they just kept attacking having plenty of near misses keeping Van der Sar busy.

Netherlands huffed and puffed but Russia were holding firm, and a long-range effort from Wesley Sneijder was the closest they came to levelling.

But it all changed with only 4 minutes to go, Russia who had looked so strong and could of even been up by more than 1 goal conceded from? what other than a set piece there major weakness on the night. But with four minutes left, Russia’s inability to defend set pieces was finally exploited. From the left wing, Real Madrid midfielder Sneijder swung a dangerous free-kick into the box to which Russia’s back four got nowhere near. They also failed to track Van Nistelrooy, who flew in with a diving far-post header to make it 1-1.

A moment of luck for Russia in injury time, Kolodin was shown a second yellow for a foul on Sneijder, but the double-whammy of going down to ten men and having to defend another free-kick was cancelled by the assistant referee, who told Slovakian whistle-blower Lubos Michel that the ball had gone out of play moments before the challenge.

So this match was headed for extra time Russia played better for 90% of the match but it doesn’t matter in football Turkey is an example. Netherlands should be the fresher team after having 5 days off compared to Russia’s 3 but this wouldn’t be such a big factor.

Russia’s playmaker Arshavin went close in the opening minutes of extra time followed by Pavlyuchenko effort which hit the bar and post and somehow stayed out.

Extra time was quickly becoming an all Russian attack with Russia missing many more chances they just couldn’t find the net. But their class player Arshavin who missed the group games set up a goal: Arshavin raced down the left and swung a brilliantly-improvised far post lob to Torbinskiy who - having just been booked and ruled out of the semi - somehow flicked the ball with the outside of his left boot, from an impossible angle, to beat Van der Sar.

So Russia were 2-1 up but they wern’t finished yet, Arshavin ran on from a quick throw, snuck behind the Dutch defence to drill a low shot under Van der Sar with four minutes of extra-time remaining.

Russia won 3-1 and deserved it they are off to the semi final to play either Italy or Spain and as all the underdogs have won the quarters Italy must become favorates for their game.

Russia team:

1-Igor Akinfeyev; 22-Alexander Anyukov, 8-Denis Kolodin, 4-Sergei Ignashevich, 18-Yuri Zhirkov; 17-Konstantin Zyryanov, 11-Sergei Semak, 20-Igor Semshov, 9-Ivan Saenko; 10-Andrei Arshavin, 19-Roman Pavlyuchenko.

Netherlands team:

1-Edwin van der Sar; 21-Khalid Boulahrouz, 2-Andre Ooijer, 4-Joris Mathijsen, 5-Giovanni van Bronckhorst; 17-Nigel de Jong, 8-Orlando Engelaar; 18-Dirk Kuyt, 23-Rafael van der Vaart, 10-Wesley Sneijder; 9-Ruud van Nistelrooy

The Netherlands lit up the group stages but Russia were not far behind with their classy win over Sweden, what will the quarter final produce?

A week ago the Dutch looked odds-on to advance to the last four but, though they remain favourites, Russia’s sparkling 2-0 victory over Sweden in Innsbruck on Wednesday has altered the balance.

While the Dutch have Ruud van Nistelrooy in attack, Russia can call on the revitalised Roman Pavlyuchenko.

Wesley Sneijder will be up against the equally skilful Andrei Arshavin in the middle of the field while on the wing the Dutch have Arjen Robben and Russia counter with versatile midfielder Konstantin Zyryanov.

But Dutch coach Marco van Basten is keen to learn the lessons from Spain’s 4-1 rout of Russia early in the tournament.

“We have to see what the Spanish did against them and take our lessons from that,” he said.

Many of the Dutch first choice players have had a week to rest and prepare after Van Basten used mostly reserves in the final group game against Romania.

He is likely to start with the team that came out of the dressing room for the second half of the 4-1 romp over France last Friday, with Robben starting and Orlando Engelaar dropping to the bench.

Robben, who missed the opening match against Italy through injury, did well after coming on for Engelaar against Les Bleus and was a starter against Romania.

However, while Robben’s attacking talents are undoubted he and Dirk Kuyt must show they can cope defensively with the free-running Yuri Zhirkov and Alexander Anyukov.

Russia’s players will have had less than three full days to recover from the Sweden game and that could prove a key factor.

They have no major injury worries and Arshavin should be fresh having played only 90 minutes in the tournament.

His return from suspension was the catalyst in transforming Russia into a slick-passing team that could have been modelled on the Dutch.

With Dutchman Guus Hiddink in charge that should not come as too much of a surprise.

The well-travelled coach has forged his reputation from building hard-working sides where players perform above their ability but in this group of Russians he recognises he has some top quality raw material.

“The players have proved at this tournament they can keep playing this type of football,” he said.

“The way we play we get respect, we like to play the way football should be played and I think the Netherlands do the same.”

Both sides were boosted by the return of key players, with Zlatan Ibrahimovic overcoming a knee problem to start for Sweden and Russian playmaker Arshavin making his first appearance of the tournament after missing the first two group games through suspension.

Russia took to the field knowing they had to win to progress to the last eight, and they started brightly with Arshavin spraying passes around and causing problems inside Swedish territory.

After 15 minutes Pavlyuchenko drilled a low cross into the Sweden box from the right that Diniyar Bilyaletdinov could not make meaningful contact with, before Sweden goalkeeper Andreas Isaksson had to tip an Arshavin cross over the crossbar and Yuri Zhirkov lashed a well-controlled volley wide of the right-hand post from the subsequent corner.

Russia went ahead on 24 minutes thanks to a beautifully constructed goal. Igor Semshov tucked the ball infield to marauding right-back Aleksandr Anyukov from wide on the right, and his low centre was swept home from 12 yards by Pavlyuchenko.

Sweden almost hit back immediately when Larsson saw a looping header bounce off the crossbar, but Russia quickly regained their rhythm, and Pavlyuchenko was inches away from doubling their lead when a right-footed curler struck the right-hand upright, with Konstantin Zyrianov’s headed follow-up being clawed away by Isaksson.

The Sweden keeper then had to push away a long-range effort from Zhirkov, before Lars Lagerback’s men rallied towards the end of the first period, with Freddie Ljungberg and Mikael Nilsson both testing Igor Akinfeev in the Russian goal.

But Arshavin put the game beyond the Swedes five minutes into the second half when he tucked home Zhirkov’s low pass from the left after another breathless counter-attack.

As Sweden pushed forward they began to leave huge spaces at the back, and Zyrianov saw a deflected effort from the edge of the box strike the left-hand post, before Pavlyuchenko, twice, and Arshavin spurned good late chances to add further gloss to a memorable Russian performance.

Russis were all over Sweden during this game and really deserved to win by a bigger amount. It was one of those games in which they could of won by more then 5.

Gus has created some magic again getting another seemingly average team through a group stage. They march off to the quarters to face the Netherlands.

Line Up:

I. Akinfeev
A. Anyukov
S. Ignashevitch
D. Kolodin
Y. Zhirkov
K. Zyrianov
I. Semshov
S. Semak
A. Arshavin(c)
D. Bilyaletdinov
R. Pavluchenko