No fairytale start for Grim: Italy beats Netherlands 2-1
Italy beat the Netherlands 2-1 in a friendly yesterday in caretaker Dutch coach Fred Grim's first and possibly only match in charge.
The Dutch went down playing positive attacking football, unlike the meek capitulation in Saturday's 2-0 World Cup qualifier defeat to Bulgaria that cost Grim's predecessor Danny Blind his job.
The Netherlands took the lead in the 10th minute when a shot by Quincy Promes deflected off two Italian defenders into the net, with Alessio Romagnoli getting the final touch that wrong-footed goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma.
But before the cheers had died down at the Amsterdam Arena, Italy scored at the correct end with Wesley Hoedt heading a quickly taken free kick straight to Eder, who drove a low shot past Jeroen Zoet.
Some more weak Dutch defending helped Italy take the lead in the 32nd minute when Zoet couldn't hold onto a header from a corner and Leonardo Bonucci pounced on the loose ball to hammer it into the roof of the net.
Italy is second in World Cup qualifying Group G, level on points with leader Spain. The Netherlands slumped to fourth in Group A following Saturday's humiliating defeat in Sofia.
A day later, the Dutch football association fired Blind and placed Grim in charge until a permanent replacement can be found. One man being named as a possible new coach, Louis van Gaal, was in the stands yesterday.
Grim started with Memphis Depay up front and the Lyon forward showed that the confidence that deserted him during his spell at Manchester United is returning with a clever back heel to set up Promes in the first half.
Nice footwork after the break allowed him to beat Italian defenders, but he couldn't turn his trickery into the goal that the Dutch needed.
Substitute Wesley Sneijder had two efforts well saved by Donnarumma in the frenetic closing minutes as the Netherlands pushed in vain for an equalizer.
Russia salvages friendly 33 draw with Belgium
Alexander Bukharov salvaged a 3-3 draw for Russia against Belgium in stoppage time yesterday to cap a comeback from being 3-1 down.
Defender Viktor Vasin had given Russia an early lead before Roman Neustadter gave away a penalty with a clumsy challenge on Belgium forward Christian Benteke.
Kevin Mirallas converted the spot-kick, and Benteke followed up with two goals shortly before halftime. Substitute Bukharov set up Alexei Miranchuk to make it 3-2 in the 76th minute before leveling in the second minute of injury time.
Despite the encouraging comeback, next year's World Cup host Russia has still won only two of its last 13 games.
It was the first football match at the 47,700-seat Fisht stadium in Sochi, which hosted the Winter Olympic opening ceremony in 2014 but needed extensive reconstruction for the 2018 World Cup.
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