Euro 2012 preview: Netherlands v Denmark

Robin van Persie greets Nicklas Bendtner

Two years ago the Dutch and the Danes started their tournament by facing each other in Johannesburg, and 5289 miles later they are at it again.

An own goal from Daniel Agger and Dirk Kuyt’s late strike gave a decidedly Liverpudlian feel to the Netherlands’ 2-0 win in the largest city in South Africa as both sides got their 2010 World Cup campaigns underway, and although the setting may have changed to Kharkiv in north-east Ukraine, the pressures are very similar.

In fact, the Ukraine’s first match of Euro 2012 could well be the most important for the Dutch.

Given what lies ahead of them in a Group B which has long since shed its letter and is now simply followed by ‘of Death,’ the Netherlands – and indeed Germany and Portugal – will be targeting the Danes for a welcome three points. Fail to get them, and suddenly things become very tricky very early.

It’s not that Denmark are a bad side – finishing top of a qualification group which included Portugal and Norway proves that – but more that with the calibre of opposition which lies ahead, the Dutch will have to go all out for victory here if they are serious about their chances of winning the tournament. And they should certainly be serious about those.

Viewed on its own, the striking talent available to coach Bert van Marwijk makes the Dutch formidable opposition during the tournament, a tournament which they go in to no doubt confident that they’ll be able to outscore whoever they play.

It remains to be seen just how Van Marwijk will arrange his side for their opening match, but with the freescoring Schalke forward Klaas Jan Huntelaar perhaps ready to shove Robin van Persie to the left of an attacking trio whose right flank will be patrolled by Arjen Robben, then the Danes will have to be aware of the threat posed to their backline in Kharkiv.

Captain Agger and co will indeed have their work cut out, and that’s without mentioning the deeper lying threats of Wesley Sneijder and Rafael van der Vaart, as well as other options including Kuyt, Luuk de Jong and Ibrahim Afellay. Get the ball beyond that lot, and the Danes will be looking to one of Europe’s most self-confident forwards to deliver.

Nicklas Bendtner technically goes into Euro 2012 still as Van Persie’s understudy at Arsenal, but the forward’s moderately successful loan spell at Sunderland last season will have given him a taste for action.

Unlikely to move back to the Black Cats for the next campaign, and even less likely to stay with the Gunners, the 24-year-old will surely be targeting this tournament as a shop window for his talents, and will be looking for backup from the lively Christian Eriksen – the Ajax midfielder who is prized by several more top clubs than Bendtner.

Those two will need to click to make an impression on a Dutch defence which admittedly looks the weakest department of their side, but one way to lessen worries about that is to keep the ball up the other end of the pitch, and the Dutch are more than capable of doing that.

In fact, they should put it in the back of the Danish net a couple of times too, ensuring a repeat of that opening game in South Africa and kicking off a tournament which promises much for the Dutch.

That Johannesburg match two years ago kicked off a run to the Final, and who’s to say that this one won’t as well?

Prediction: Netherlands 2 Denmark 0

Mark Jones – follow me on twitter

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