正文：在遭到淘汰厄運之後，荷蘭球星范佩西不願相信眼前的一切，“ 我只是沒想過， 我們會這麼早就被淘汰。”
鏈結：http://sports.yahoo.com/sow/news?slug=reu-worldnetherlands&prov=reuters&type=lgns
原文：World-Netherlands learn some hard lessons
World-Netherlands learn some hard lessons
By Theo Ruizenaar
NUREMBERG, June 26 (Reuters) - Netherlands unbeaten streak in competitive
matches stretching back 15 games and two years ended in near anarchy with
a 1-0 World Cup second-round loss to Portugal but they depart confident
about the future.
Russian referee Valentin Ivanov handed out four red cards -- two for
either side -- and eight other players were given yellows to set the
wrong kind of World Cup record on Sunday.
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It ruined a highly anticipated game between two leading lights of
European football and ended Dutch progress in a tournament they had
graced with snatches of delightful football.
Afterwards, Netherlands coach Marco van Basten understandably railed at
the referee's zealous handling of the game but will have seen enough to
know his side could easily have advanced to a quarter-final meeting with
England.
As winger Robin van Persie said: "I just never had the feeling we would
go out in this phase."
The omens look bright, though, for the 2008 European Championship in
Switzerland and Austria.
GOOD EXAMPLE
The Dutch have a stock of young, talented players now blooded at the
highest level and, among the Orange party in Germany, only midfielder
Phillip Cocu, who won his 101st cap, looks likely to retire in the near
future.
Van Persie, 22, is a shining example from the Dutch treasure trove of
talent that includes Wesley Sneijder, Rafael van der Vaart, Johnny
Heitinga, Arjen Robben and Dirk Kuyt.
He finished his season as a deserved first choice on the right flank for
the Dutch having shone as they survived a tough group phase and finished
runners-up to the impressive Argentina.
He admitted weeping at the Netherlands' exit afterwards but will return
to contest many more high profile matches.
Defender Giovanni van Bronckhorst said their progression could be
measured against their last big tournament exit, also to Portugal in the
Euro 2004 semi-finals when they were deservedly beaten 2-1.
"It was a different match than two years ago," Van Bronckhorst told
Reuters. "We created more chances then we gave away but if you fail to
score it gets tough."
Dirk Kuyt, Mark van Bommel, Van Persie and Cocu all had gilt-edged
opportunities to keep the Dutch run going but spurned them.
"This gives mixed emotions," Van Bommel told Reuters. "The first three
matches of this tournament we could have lost but this one never."
They have learned the hard way but this young Dutch squad surely will
remember to stay cool and focused if a 'battle' of Nuremberg is ever
repeated.
作者--趙海軍
責編：佟杉杉