Very Unexpected

Another very disappointing performance was that of the Dutch team, in their first match of Group B, against the always-unpredictable Danes.

Maybe Denmark did not seem like the kind of team that could challenge Germany, Netherlands and Portugal for supremacy in Group B.
But they did surprise Holland.

Yes, Krohn-Dehli's goal (in minute 24) come totally out of nowhere, but the Dutch players had more than 66 minutes, plus a break, to re-group and get back into the game. They didn't, and now it's not looking too good for them. They have to play Germany next, and that's always a fiercely-disputed encounter which could have any outcome. (For example, even if Netherlands gets a point from Germany, they must beat Portugal in the last match or else they're out.)

After the match, the Dutch coach, Bert van Marwijk, said not to blame Robin van Persie. Of course not. He is to blame, not Robin van Persie!
After that unexpected loss against Sweden in the qualifiers, the Netherlands team has been playing worse and worse. They just don't seem the same team that was getting those unbelievable winning streaks anymore.

Meanwhile, Denmark certainly looks like it has the potential to be the dark horse of the competition, or at least of this group, the team that nobody expects to come out on top, but which has the potential to do so.

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