MATCH 29 BACKGROUND : PORTUGAL VS NETHERLANDS

SEMI CONSCIOUS OF PAST PAIN

For one team, the semi-final heartbreak of UEFA EURO 2000™ will be repeated all over again. For the other, the pain of four years ago will be replaced by joy at making the final this time.

Epic matches
When Portugal and the Netherlands meet in Lisbon, they will inevitably remember what happened four years ago when France overcame the UEFA EURO 2004™ hosts and the Dutch fell to Italy. Both were epic matches, as indeed were their respective quarter-finals this time around which went to penalties.

Happy memories
But then both sides will have warm feeling towards the Estádio José Alvalade, the venue where each team's quarter-final place was sealed. It was the location where Portugal beat Spain 1-0 to clinch Group A having stared elimination in the face, and three days later the Czech Republic overcame Germany 2-1 to ensure that the Netherlands' 3-0 win against Latvia in Braga took them through.

First meetings
What is for definite is that this is the biggest ever meeting between the sides. Surprisingly, they did not play until 1990, when they met in a EURO '92 qualified, won 1-0 by Portugal in Porto. Crucially, though, the Dutch won the return the following year in Rotterdam and a month later claimed qualification.

Portugal's revenge
That, though, is the only Netherlands victory against Portugal in eight attempts. In their other two competitive fixtures in 2002 FIFA World Cup qualifying, Portugal won 2-0 in Rotterdam and drew 2-2 in Porto, progressing to Korea/Japan as the Dutch were eliminated. They last met in April 2003, the friendly ending 1-1 in Eindhoven as Patrick Kluivert scored his joint-record 37th international goal before Simão Sabrosa equalised.

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