Holland crash to Hiddink's Russian masters

A bandwagon of free-flowing attacking football is rolling on, seemingly all the way to the final in Vienna. Shame for Holland that it will be Russia carrying the torch for Total Football, led by their inspirational Dutch coach Guus Hiddink.

Hiddink outwitted his compatriots last night with a dramatic display that thoroughly merited a semi-final against Italy or Spain next week. This is rapidly becoming the tournament of unexpected resurrections. Like Turkey and Germany, seemingly dead and buried in the opening rounds, Russia will now be joining them in the latter stages.

Russia's Dmitri Torbinsky (top), Roman Pavluchenko (right) and Oleg Ivanov celebrate after the final whistle.

The exquisite Andrei Arshavin, an unstoppable force and the scourge of the Dutch defence, delivered the final cut to a wounded, staggering Holland four minutes from the end of extra time when he broke away from their frail defence to shoot through the legs of Edwin van der Sar.

It was hard on the 37-year-old keeper, who retires from international football and who had until then been Holland's best performer. But Arshavin had effectively won the game four minutes earlier when his superb cross allowed Dmitri Torbinski to get a touch at the far post to score Russia's second.

As the orange-clad thousands who packed St Jakob Park melted away into the night, they doubtless reflected on the extraordinary Midas touch of their compatriot Hiddink. Successes with South Korea, Australia and Russia, he is the international saviour of world football (shame England did not snap him up when they had the chance). His only disappointment was when he had the Holland team at Euro 96. Had he been denied by Marco van Basten's team, it would have been a gross injustice.

Even in normal time, laboured and stifled by the indefatigable Russians, the Dutch bandwagon had seemingly ground to a halt. Nothing fell for them, though that had as much to do with the organisation Hiddink had imposed on his Russian team.

Russia's coach Guus Hiddink (C) and team mates celebrate the goal of Dmitry Torbinsky

As much as they would never use it as an excuse, Holland's muted display was understandable in the shadow of the death three days before of the prematurely- born daughter of defender Khalid Boulahrouz. Remarkably, the bereaved father insisted on playing and he and his team-mates wore black armbands in memory of little Anissa. Holland looked down and out until, with four minutes of normal time remaining, Wesley Sneijder lined up a hopeful free-kick.

Twice Van Nistelrooy had wasted chances delivered by Rafael van der Vaart. But, offered a third such opportunity by Sneijder, he dived at the ball and headed in the equaliser with glee as seemingly the entire stadium embraced him in relief. Holland had a reprieve and yet the Russians refused to take a step back. Like a brave prizefighter, they stayed on the front foot, probing and jabbing at a frail Dutch defence.

In truth, they deserved to win in extra time. Arshavin's delightful shuffle and shot after two minutes had Van der Sar scrambling; Roman Pavlyuchenko spun past Andre Ooijer and crashed a shot against the bar after seven minutes; and, best of all, Arshavin delivered the perfect cross to the feet of Torbinski, who could only shoot tamely at Van der Sar. Free flowing, smart passing and clean finishing: welcome to the new school of Russian football, with a distinctly orange tinge.

Edwin van Der Sar grabs the ball after a goal from Russia's Dmitry Torbinsky

Arshavin, the lead conductor, set the tempo on 56 minutes with a telling inside pass for the tireless Sergei Semak, who was away from his man and could cross with impunity. Rushing in from deep was the scourge of England, Pavlyuchenko, who turned the ball in first time to open the scoring.

Sometimes it seems the Spartak Moscow centre-forward needs 10 chances to score one. But he hit two against England in Moscow and now he has three in the tournament, enough to attract admiring glances from Premier League clubs.

As the grinning Pavlyuchenko raced away, a gloomy silence descended on the stadium, while small pockets of Russian fans celebrated with gusto.

Suddenly Russia were in their stride and Holland increasingly stifled. John Heintinga, on at right-back, was being consistently exposed, Arshavin delighting to drift out of position to take him on. Holland could muster little.

Hiddink said: 'We were against a team who are normally not to be outplayed tactically, technically or physically, but on all three counts we outplayed them.

'The players responded very well (to the disappointment of Holland's late equaliser). They didn't play on the counter, they went for the second goal and third goal.'