Holland 5 Belgium 5: Patrick Kluivert hat-trick and comedy defending in epic thriller from 1999 international friendly
The pair meet again in one of biggest international 'derbies' in Europe — and we take a look back at shambolic showing
HOLLAND host Belgium today in one of the most anticipated European ‘derbies’.
For years, tonight’s hosts were far stronger.
They invented Total Football, made it to back-to-back World Cup finals and brought us some of the greatest players in the game’s history — and the Belgians were happy just to qualify.
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However, the tables have well and truly turned.
Holland failed to qualify for Euro 2016, while Belgium started out as one of the favourites.
But the Dutch will be determined not to be shown up when the welcome one of their oldest rivals.
And just to whet the appetite a little more, watch this clip of an epic 5-5 draw between the pair in a 1999 international friendly.
The match is packed with some superb goals and horror defending, with a little comedy goalkeeping thrown into the mix.
Remarkably, Holland started with Edwin van der Sar in goal — while a back three of Michael Reiziger, Frank De Boer and Jaap Stam was seen as one of the most reliable around.
Former Derby ace, Branko Strupar opened the scoring with an amazing volley of Emile Mpenza’s backheeled flick.
The ex-Ram then gave his side a shock 2-0 lead in comical fashion.
His header hit the post and rebounded out for a diving Van de Sar to punch back into the net.
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They say there’s no such thing as a bad goal, but Edgar Davids put that theory into question when he got one back for the hosts.
Dennis Bergkamp hit a free-kick against the wall and the man in the orange glasses mishit a tame shot from outside the area which went through the wall, past everyone and bounced three times before somehow finding the bottom corner.
Davids equalised three minutes before half-time with a goal which was as amazing for the skilful run as it was the pathetic attempts to stop the then Juventus man.
And in stoppage time, Patrick Kluivert turned the game completely around.
Bergkamp went through and chipped goalkeeper, Philippe Vande Walle, in his usual classy manner.
But the Belgian stopper got a hand to it and it fell to the defender, who hopelessly missed his kick and allowed Kluivert to walk the ball to line, take a look around, wait, before tapping the ball in.
The lead lasted for five minutes as Bart Goor blasted a shot through Van der Sar’s legs in what must have been the worst performance of his career.
And two minutes later, Belgium were in front as Holland’s attempts at playing the offside trap went horribly wrong and their former boss, Marc Wilmots, made it 4-3.
Yet that lead only lasted for six minutes as more woeful defending allowed Kluivert to equalise.
Ronald De Boer’s cross was headed home by the one-time Newcastle striker to make it 5-4 — but they still weren’t done.
Even more shambolic Dutch defending allowed Mpenza to make it 5-5.
The defences managed to hold out and no more goals were scored in the final 13 minutes of the contest.
The two nations went onto co-host the Euros less than a year later.