Sportsmail's faith in adopted team rewarded as Holland hump Italy

Sportsmail Online is throwing its not inconsiderable weight behind Holland at Euro 2008.

And what a fine choice we've made as last night our cries of 'Hup Holland Hup' were answered with a rousing 3-0 annihilation of  world champions Italy.

Honorary Dutchman Peter Chayney reports...

There's many a stereotypical picture of a Dutch “caner” and, while Sportsmail didn't see many of those in London last night as Leicester Square turned Oranje, there was a Dutch “Cainer” - as in Daily Mail astrologer Jonathan.

Gijs Harbers, a student on a six-month internship in London watching the match at De Hems Dutch pub, was upbeat.

“I just have a feeling. I think it will be 3-0. The first goal scored by Ruud van Nistelrooy. The second by Wesley Sneijder and Rafael van der Vaart to get the third.”

Admittedly, as things turned out the final goal was scored by Gio van Bronckhorst but the right scoreline and correctly naming two out of three goalscorers is a good success rate for any clairvoyant.

Passing the Dutchy: Sportsmail reporter Peter Chayney (left) talks up the Oranje with Nick Hales

De Hems suffered a disastrous power cut closing their downstairs bar and limiting the numbers dramatically which caused queues of unlucky orange-clad punters to snake around the corner before most were turned away to spread the Oranje spirit to neighbouring pubs.

But for those who had arrived early enough by 5.30pm the party was in full swing.

And Dutch invention was not just evident on the pitch with several top hats handily turning into drums to get the crowd going as others preferred to dress their heads in orange wigs, caps and Felix, another student, in a furry, orange roast chicken.

Bright orange: De Hems is rocking as Holland score against Italy

Oranje fan Nick Hales, a 50-year-old born in Goes (in Holland), who moved over to England at the age of 13, said he always tried to watch Dutch internationals at De Hems. He said: “It captures the Dutch atmosphere of fun, and celebration of the Dutch cause. It’s great to see a sea of orange everywhere in the world.”

As Van Nistelrooy and then Sneijder scored, disbelieving fans were drenched in a sea of beer as pint glasses went all over as the match went better than the Dutch had hoped for and the fans bounced and screamed and hugged whoever was in the vicinity.

Hup Holland Hup!

Chayney goes native

A brief technical hitch that saw the match replaced on the television by a Dispatches episode with Gordon Brown was unsurprisingly met by catcalls and boos but the removal of the 10p rate of tax was soon forgotten as the pictures returned to the Wankdorf.

Carnival atmosphere: Another grainy camera phone snap of a glorious night for the Dutch in De Hems

A few nervy moments caused heartfelt choruses of “We love Van der Sar” as the Manchester United goalkeeper stood firm against the Italians. But Van Bronckhorst’s third goal settled any nerves and cries of “championes” and “We are the Champions” were belted out with full Dutch spirit.

After the final whistle orange-clad fans both drunk on beer and drunk on the joys of football stood and contemplated what they had witnessed  in scenes reminiscent of Sir Alex Ferguson’s infamous “football, bloody hell.”

Don't fancy yours much...

As a delightedly shellshocked Mr Hales put it: “Fantastic. Who would have thought it? 3-0.”

And where now for the delighted Oranje? To the final and glory? Psychic Gijs was, like all good clairvoyants, keeping his cards close to his chest for now until the picture became clearer. “I don’t know. Maybe. It’s amazing. I will see tomorrow.”

Holland face France on Friday and Sportsmail online will be surfing the sea of orange and sticking with our adopted heroes all the way to the final in Vienna...

... It will happen, Gijs told us. And he has a crystal ball.