Spurs star: “It’s very hard on the bench”

Tottenham star Rafael Van der Vaart admitted that it was difficult to watch his Holland team-mates struggle against Denmark from the substitutes bench.

The Spurs winger was brought on late on but the Dutch were beaten by a goal to nil.

“It’s very hard on the bench,” Van der Vaart said. “You see so many chances.

“I thought Denmark made very many mistakes building up the game.

“We had so many chances. But if you don’t make these goals you don’t deserve to win.”

The Tottenham man is hoping that history repeats itself with Holland losing to the Soviet Union in the first game at Euro 88 before beating the same nation in the final.

“We’ve tried everything,” he added. “But I believe in ‘88. We lost the first match at that tournament and we know how that happened.

“We must win two times. If you lose, you’re out. It’s painful. There’s no words in the dressing room. We had to win this game. The next round is very far away.”