Scotland has everything to win and the Netherlands has everything to lose when the two meet today to decide who will qualify for the 2004 European Championship finals.

　　The Dutch, strong on paper but perennial underachievers, always expected to contend for the continental championship. But after losing to Scotland 1-0 on Saturday in the first leg of their two-game playoff, they must win by two goals to ensure qualification for the finals in Portugal.

　　The Scots have earned respect by improving consistently throughout qualifying and now need only a draw, or a one-goal loss with an away goal, to win a berth in the finals.

　　As Scotland's team and coach traveled to Amsterdam, assistant coach Tommy Burns said Saturday's victory was the "halfway" mark, giving them a reason to hope.

　　"That was always the main objective, not to be dead and buried by the time we go over there," he said. "Every player gave every ounce and a wee bit more, and if we can go and do the same again ... who knows what might happen?"

　　But the mood in the Dutch camp was one of tension and grim determination.

　　The stress appeared to be taking its toll on coach Dick Advocaat, who has said he will resign if the Dutch fail to qualify, and now won't rule out quitting.

　　At Monday's press conference, a red-eyed Advocaat quarreled with Dutch reporters; blamed Saturday's loss on a failure by his players to follow directions; and declined to answer questions from Scottish reporters in English, despite having spent three years as coach for Rangers.

　　"I was surprised by how freely the Scots played, by how well they moved, and by their fight," Advocaat said. "Hopefully we learned from the mistakes we made in the first half on Saturday, despite the fact that we had 6-7-8 chances on goal.

　　"If even one of those chances had fallen, it would have made a big difference," he continued. "But it's well known there's a big difference between home and away. Now the Scots will experience the home field advantage of the Dutch."

　　When told that Ajax midfielder Rafael van der Vaart said the Dutch played poorly in the first half on Saturday, Advocaat agreed but snapped, "if he has something to say, he should say it to the other players - or to me."

　　The Netherlands missed the 2002 World Cup, and today is the last chance for veterans Frank de Boer, Phillip Cocu, Pierre van Hooijdonk, Marc Overmars and Jaap Stam to make it to a major tournament. Legendary Dutch striker Johan Cruyff said the group was in danger of becoming a "lost generation."

　　In training on Monday, Advocaat played Bayern Munich's Roy Makaay in place of FC Barcelona's Patrick Kluivert as striker and with 19-year-old Ajax midfielder Wesley Sneijder in place of Juventus' Edgar Davids in the center.

　　There have been few changes to team rosters since Saturday.

　　Key defenders on each side, Stam of the Netherlands and Christian Dailly of Scotland, will miss the game with suspensions for fouls committed on Saturday. Marc Overmars is questionable for the Dutch with knee pain.

　　The Dutch have summoned two PSV players, defender Wilfred Bouma and winger Arjen Robben as replacements.

　　The Spaniards, meanwhile, are still expecting to be given a torrid time when they face Norway in the return leg in Oslo in freezing conditions.

　　Despite a vibrant attacking display Inaki Saez's side emerged with a narrow 2-1 advantage after the first leg in Valencia and still have a lot of work to do to secure a place in next year's European championships.

　　"They are going to pressure us all the time because they have to win," goalkeeper Iker Casillas told sports daily As.