But take a closer look and perhaps a new picture will emerge. First of all, beyond the two penalty misses and the failure to take advantage of Gianluca Zambrotta's 33rd minute sending off, Holland actually created few chances. Dennis Bergkamp hit the post early on, Patrick Kluivert went close a few times, but beyond that there weren't too many occasions when Francesco Toldo was called to make a quality save. Obviously this was partly because Alex Del Piero was called back to midfield and, apart from the lonely figure of Pippo Inzaghi, Italy ventured forward about as often as J.D. Salinger appears on television. But that alone does not explain Holland's inability to create chances.
Great teams know how to score, or at least come close, even against massed defenses.
Possession and neat passing are fun to watch, but if you don't make something of it, you don't get to shoot on goal. And if you don't get to shoot, you don't win. Italy's defending was picture-perfect, particularly Alessandro Nesta and Fabio Cannavaro, yet they got a huge helping hand from Holland boss Frank Rijkaard's enigmatic substitutions. With Bergkamp drifting all along the frontline and back to midfield, Kluivert spent the afternoon valiantly battling singlehandedly against Italy's tight backline. When it came time for Bergkamp to be substituted, Rijkaard didn't bring on a striker like the physical and mobile Pierre Van Hooijdonk.