Dreams of Oranje squashed as Van Basten's men blow it again

Holland blew it when it really mattered, just as they have done at eight major championships since their triumph at Euro 88 in Germany.

Each time the Oranje have qualified for the knockout stages playing with attacking verve and each time hordes of their delirious fans have turned up to revel in their side's footballing brilliance.

Oranje crushed: The Netherlands' capitulation to Russia was a bitter pill to swallow

More than 140,000 Dutch fans poured on to the streets of this city on Saturday - almost doubling its population and drowning it in Oranje fizz.

That was until Andrei Arshavin and Co gatecrashed their party.

The orange facepaint was left streaked by tears as garish wigs, overalls and lederhosen joined the nation's dreams in the gutters.

Flattering to deceive is becoming a Dutch art form. At least when England bow out at the quarter-final stages of a major championships, they do so having stuttered through their group.

Holland coach Marco van Basten, whose tactical nous and managerial ability have frequently been questioned, presided over rousing victories against Italy (3-0), France (4-1) and Romania (2-0) in the 'Group of Death'.

On Saturday it was a slow death for the Dutch as Ruud van Nistelrooy stooped to force extra-time.

Van Basten included Chelsea misfit Khalid Boulahrouz in his starting XI despite the death of the right-back's prematurely born daughter Anissa on Wednesday.

That was a serious error on Van Basten's part. Poor Boulahrouz shanked every pass and missed tackle after tackle before being hauled off on the hour mark.

The coach now steps down from national service to manage Ajax.

And he goes with his tail between his legs after substituting the impressive Orlando Engelaar with Ibrahim Afellay in the 61st minute.

The former allows Wesley Sneijder to roam and wreak havoc. Holland were toothless, just as Portugal were at the same venue on Thursday.

This Russian result was the third time in as many quarter-finals that the pool winners had been knocked out by second-placed teams.

The test of being a true champion is winning when it matters. Van Basten, the manager, has learned that the hard way.