Played
June 13, 2012 2:45 PM EDT
Oblasny SportKomplex Metalist — Kharkiv
Referee: J. Eriksson
Attendance: 37750
June 13, 2012 2:45 PM EDT
Oblasny SportKomplex Metalist — Kharkiv
Referee: J. Eriksson
Attendance: 37750
Euro 2012 Preview: Netherlands - Germany
The Oranje will look to recover from their surprise loss to Denmark when they take on Joachim Low's side, in what promises to be an absorbing contest in Kharkiv.
By Karthick Arvinth
Getty
| PROBABLE LINEUPS |
|
NETHERLANDS
 Stekelenburg Van der Wiel, Heitinga, Mathijsen, Willems N De Jong, Van Bommel Robben, Sneijder, Afellay Huntelaar |
GERMANY
 Neuer Boateng, Hummels, Badstuber, Lahm Khedira, Schweinsteiger Muller, Ozil, Schurrle Gomez |
Netherlands has received a boost with the return to fitness of veteran defender Joris Mathijsen ahead of Wednesday's crucial Euro 2012 showdown with Germany.
The Malaga center back missed the 1-0 defeat to Denmark with a hamstring problem but looks set to return to the Dutch lineup in place of Ron Vlaar.
Midfielder Wesley Sneijder should feature despite sustaining a minor knock, while coach Bert van Marwijk is under pressure to restore Klaas-Jan Huntelaar to the starting XI ahead of Robin van Persie.
On the other hand, Germany boss Joachim Low has no pressing injury concerns but could make changes to liven up his attack after a low-key performance against Portugal.
Andre Schurrle, Marco Reus and Mario Gotze are all vying for starting berths, with Lukas Podolski or Thomas Muller likely to make way.
| DID YOU KNOW? |
- Netherlands has won just three of its last eight competitive matches (W3 D1 L4).
- The Oranje are facing Germany for the 39th time, with their record in prior encounters reading W10 D14 L14.
- The teams' last encounter came in a friendly played in Hamburg in November last year, which the Germans won 3-0.
- Mark van Bommel received a yellow card against Denmark and is a booking away from suspension.
- Germany has the edge over the Netherlands in recent meetings. It is unbeaten in three games against the Oranje (W1 D2), since a 3-1 defeat in November 2002.
- With an average age of just over 24, die Mannschaft have the youngest squad of all participating nations at Euro 2012.
- Lukas Podolski (pictured right) could win his 99th cap against the Dutch, which would take him above Michael Ballack to seventh in Germany's all-time appearance list.
- Holger Badstuber and Jerome Boateng will incur a ban with their next bookings.
Field Report
Reader's Predictions
Top 3 Predictions
-
Netherlands 1-2 Germany
- 17.21 %
-
Netherlands 2-1 Germany
- 16.27 %
-
Netherlands 1-3 Germany
- 8.52 %
| International Friendlies (FR) | Nov 14, 2012 | Netherlands 0 - Germany 0 |
|
| European Championship Qualification 2012 (EC) | Jun 13, 2012 | Netherlands 1 - Germany 2 |
|
| International Friendlies (FR) | Nov 15, 2011 | Germany 3 - Netherlands 0 |
|
Netherlands
    |
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| Mar 26, 2013 | Netherlands 4 - Romania 0 | WCQE |
| Mar 22, 2013 | Netherlands 3 - Estonia 0 | WCQE |
| Feb 6, 2013 | Netherlands 1 - Italy 1 | FR |
| Nov 14, 2012 | Netherlands 0 - Germany 0 | FR |
| Oct 16, 2012 | Romania 1 - Netherlands 4 | WCQE |
Germany
|
||
| Mar 26, 2013 | Germany 4 - Kazakhstan 1 | WCQE |
| Mar 22, 2013 | Kazakhstan 0 - Germany 3 | WCQE |
| Feb 6, 2013 | France 1 - Germany 2 | FR |
| Nov 14, 2012 | Netherlands 0 - Germany 0 | FR |
| Oct 16, 2012 | Germany 4 - Sweden 4 | WCQE |
| 1 | Maarten Stekelenburg | Goalkeeper |
| - | Gregory van der Wiel | |
| 3 | John Heitinga | Defender |
| 4 | Joris Mathijsen | Defender |
| 15 | Jetro Willems | Defender |
| - | Mark van Bommel | |
| - | Nigel De Jong | |
| 10 | Wesley Sneijder | Midfielder |
| 11 | Arjen Robben | Midfielder |
| - | Ibrahim Afellay | |
| 16 | Robin van Persie | Striker |
| 12 | Michel Vorm | Goalkeeper |
| 22 | Tim Krul | Goalkeeper |
| - | Wilfred Bouma | |
| 13 | Ron Vlaar | Defender |
| - | Khalid Boulahrouz | |
| - | Stijn Schaars | |
| 17 | Kevin Strootman | Midfielder |
| 23 | Rafael van der Vaart | Midfielder |
| 7 | Dirk Kuyt | Striker |
| - | Klaas-Jan Huntelaar | |
| - | Luuk de Jong | |
| - | Luciano Narsingh |
| 1 | Manuel Neuer | Goalkeeper |
| 5 | Mats Hummels | Defender |
| - | Holger Badstuber | |
| 16 | Philipp Lahm | Defender |
| 20 | Jerome Boateng | Defender |
| 6 | Sami Khedira | Midfielder |
| 7 | Bastian Schweinsteiger | Midfielder |
| 8 | Mesut Özil | Midfielder |
| 10 | Lukas Podolski | Striker |
| 13 | Thomas Müller | Midfielder |
| 23 | Mario Gomez | Striker |
| - | Tim Wiese | |
| 22 | Ron-Robert Zieler | Goalkeeper |
| 3 | Marcel Schmelzer | Defender |
| 4 | Benedikt Höwedes | Defender |
| 17 | Per Mertesacker | Defender |
| 2 | Ilkay Gündogan | Midfielder |
| 15 | Lars Bender | Midfielder |
| 18 | Toni Kroos | Midfielder |
| 19 | Mario Götze | Midfielder |
| 9 | Andre Schürrle | Midfielder |
| - | Miroslav Klose | |
| 21 | Marco Reus | Midfielder |
Match News
Top Scorers
| Player | Goals | Penalties | |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Fernando Torres Striker Chelsea |
3 | 0 |
|
Cristiano Ronaldo Striker Real Madrid |
3 | 0 |
|
Mario Gomez Striker FC Bayern München |
3 | 0 |
|
Mario Balotelli Striker Milan |
3 | 0 |
|
Mario Mandzukic Striker FC Bayern München |
3 | 0 |
