Nederland v Denmark

Well, going to the "Dutch Soccer House" was better than I expected. Three floors completely packed with Oranje fans (and a few Danish fans in the lions den decked in red), from the classy (business suit, orange tie) to the ridiculous (baby all in orange complete with an orange joker's hat). The game itself was slow in the first half, but it felt less so being surrounded by hundreds of Nederland fans cheering, and clapping, and at times breaking out in song. I managed to get one of the last seats in the place, real nosebleeder, had to crane my neck the entire time. And then some bloke joined me at my table, he had obviously been dragged by his (much) younger girlfriend there, as he didn't even watch the game, just sat there playing solitaire on his iPhone (why on earth you would go to watch a football game and then play solitaire the entire time is beyond me). OK. I may have been on my phone too, but it was for research purposes on the game, and to take pictures of the crowd. So totes legit.

And then at minute 46, right after half time, Poulson of Denmark head-butted the ball into his own goal. Point for Nederland! He did have a very good sense of humor about it, was laughing at himself right after it happened, unlike Britain's Green, who likes to take to fetal position (poor guy, apparently some hot model breaking his heart is the "reason" he fumbled. Riiiiiight. Blame the ladies!). And then at minute 85 Eljero Elia goes for the goal, and just as it registered that the ball bounced against the post Dirk Kuyt comes in out of nowhere between two Danes and slide kicks the ball right into the Danish goal. Beautiful shot.

Anyway. It was lovely being surrounded by so many Dutchmen, even though I'm not fluent and can only understand some of the language, it pulls at my heartstrings to hear it spoken.

Some really poor quality photos I took on my phone: