Budapest (AFP)

First surprise of the Euro, and first favorite on the ground: the Netherlands, reduced to ten shortly after the break, gave up Sunday 2-0 in the round of 16 against the Czech Republic, united and courageous, which will face Denmark on Saturday (6:00 p.m.) in Baku, in shifts.

The score was 0-0 when "oranje" defense boss Matthijs de Ligt was sent off for deflecting the ball with his hand to the position of last defender.

Outnumbered, the Dutch gave in on two goals from Tomas Holes (68th) and Patrik Schick (81st).

The Czechs of 2021 certainly no longer have the individualities that made the reputation of previous generations, the Pavel Nedved or other Tomas Rosicky, capable of winning a match with a flash of genius.

But they compensate for this absence of stars by collective strength and solidarity, and by a permanent pressing on the opponent, which thwarted the Netherlands on Sunday, yet largely favored at kick-off.

Coach Frank de Boer's men expected fierce resistance.

They have been served.

Unable to set the pace, nor to create clear opportunities, they got stuck in the nets of an opponent remarkably organized, but who did not refuse the game so far.

- Turn of the match -

The "Oranje" controlled the midfielder, but failed to target a single shot in the first half.

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Right-back Denzel Dumfries arguably had the best Dutch opportunity at the start of the match, when he headed 20 meters from goal goalkeeper Tomas Vaclik out to meet him (13th).

But the defender of PSV Eindhoven moved too far to the left and his shot was deflected for a corner by Antonin Kalas, who had come back well.

Opposite, the Czechs took advantage of each block to bring the danger into the area of ​​goalkeeper Maarten Stekelenburg.

And it was ultimately the outsider who got the most dangerous situations: Tomas Soucek, who wore the captain's armband in the absence of the injured Vladimir Darida, crossed a head too much at the near post (22nd).

And Antonin Barak missed the best opportunity (38th): launched deep into the area on the right, he did not frame his shot.

The match changed in seconds shortly after the break.

Malen first missed the opening goal (50th).

Escaped completely alone in the axis, he tried to dribble the keeper, who won the duel with his fingertips.

- Schick strikes again -

On the Czech counter, Matthijs de Ligt, in the position of the last defender in the fight with Schick, deflected the ball with his hand about twenty meters from the goal.

Alerted by his video assistant, the referee consulted his control screen and pulled out a logical red card.

A very hard blow for the Dutch favorites, condemned to play almost the entire second period without their defense boss.

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The tide had turned in the Czechs' favor, but the score was still 0-0, and the road to the quarter-finals was still open for both teams.

Until the 68th minute ... when Tomas Holes resumed victoriously from the head to the far post a free kick almost from the corner point (1-0).

The match, closed until then, suddenly changed soul.

The Dutch had to discover themselves.

Holes, the scorer of the first goal, nabbed a ball in the Dutch camp, in typical Czech pressing style, to serve Schick - who had scored all three goals for his team in the first round - including the uncontrolled recovery of ten meters left no chance for Stekelenburg (81st).

At 2-0 ten minutes from the end, and 11 against 10, the Czechs had their feat.

They could jubilate with their thousands of supporters who populated the Puskas Arena in Budapest, as it was, Hungary not applying a sanitary gauge in its stadiums.

© 2021 AFP