Amsterdam, Nov 19: Netherlands prepare for crucial Euro 2004 playoff match. The Dutch national squad trained at the Amsterdam Arena on Monday (November 17) ahead of their crucial Euro 2004 playoff second leg match against Scotland. Netherlands coach Dick Advocaat is confident his side will overturn a 1-0 deficit on Wednesday (November 19) and qualify for the finals in Portugal, but said his side will have to speed up their attack. "I looked at the match again and it is clear that it took too long before the ball was played to the centre forwards, they played too much around, especially in the first half, there were too many moments in which they lost the speed, too many times they played the ball back. If you want to use the centre forward well, they have to play fast to keep an element of surprise," said Advocaat at a news conference on Monday. Winger James McFadden fired the winner before 51,000 delighted Scottish fans on Saturday (November 15) as Scotland earned their first competitive win over the Dutch since the 1987 World Cup finals and their first in any match since 1982.

The Netherlands had an outstanding team on paper with Ruud van Nistelrooy and Patrick Kluivert up front, supported by Edgar Davids and Andy Van der Meyde in the middle.


But as in 2001, when they were surprisingly dumped out of the World Cup playoffs by Ireland, the Dutch failed to combine effectively as a team and squandered their scoring chances.


On Monday, Van Der Meyde fainted during a television interview but the Dutch Football Association KNVB said he would be fit to play on Wednesday.


Van Der Meyde, a constant danger against the Scots on Saturday, suffered constriction of the blood vessels, aggravated by heat from the TV crew's spotlights during an interview at a Dutch team news conference, KNVB said.


"During an interview, the striker suddenly collapsed and fell with his head against a loudspeaker. But after the initial shock was over things turned out not to be as serious as feared," said the website.


Van der Meyde, who plays for Inter Milan, was examined by the Dutch national squad's doctor and then he had lunch.


PSV Eindhoven players Arjen Robben and Wilfred Bouma have been added to the Dutch squad for Wednesday's home leg. Fullback Bouma received a call-up because Jaap Stam is suspended after being booked at Hampden Park, while captain Frank de Boer has a slight thigh injury.


Winger Robben has been added to the squad for Amsterdam because Marc Overmars looked unconvincing in the first leg against Scotland.


Bureau Report