The Czech Republic registered one of the great comebacks in European Championship history on Saturday, recovering from 0-2 down to beat the Netherlands 3-2 with a goal two minutes from time.

　　The result means the Czechs will advance to the Euro 2004 quarterfinals while the Dutch are now facing long odds - and another chapter has been added to the blossoming rivalry between the two sides.

　　Substitute Vladimir Smicer scored the deciding goal in the 88th minute, but the game kept up a breakneck pace throughout.

　　"For us it was a fantastic day, evening, and night," said Czech midfielder Pavel Nedved, voted man of the match. "To go down 0-2 was a cold shower for us. We knew we had to pick things up, and quick. Once we did, I had the feeling we would be ok."

　　The Dutch broke open scoring in the fourth minute, as winger Arjen Robben found Wilfred Bouma unmarked at the left post and he headed it cleanly in.

　　At 19 minutes, Clarence Seedorf sent Robben down the left flank with a beautiful through pass, and Robben crossed to Ruud van Nistelrooy who finished for 2-0, apparently sealing victory for the Dutch.

　　But soon after, Czech coach Karel Bruckner brought in Liverpool star Smicer for defender Zdenek Grygera to juice up the Czech attack. According to van Nistelrooy, the Dutch then lost control of the game.

　　"I feel sick," said the Manchester United Star after the game in Aveiro. "I'm devastated and very angry at the same time."

　　In the 23rd, striker Milan Baros picked off a bad pass by Giovanni van Bronckhorst near midfield. He ran to the goalbox and passed to Jan Koller, who beat Dutch 'keeper Edwin van der Sar from close range.

　　Chances rained for both sides, and Czech 'keeper Petr Cech stopped a van Nistelrooy header with his knees at 56 minutes.

　　Van der Sar made a dazzling save eight minutes later on a blast by Smicer from near the penalty spot. Van der Sar appeared to use telepathy to find and then bat the ball wide of the goal.

　　In a decision that he later admitted was ill-advised, Dutch coach Dick Advocaat substituted Robben at 58 minutes.

　　"I feel terrible," Robben said afterward. "I was playing well."

　　The Czechs equalized in the 71st in a beautiful combination. Nedved crossed from the left. Koller settled the fall off his chest, and Baros scored on a soaring shot from 18 meters. The writing was on the wall for the Dutch when Johnny Heitinga was ejected from the game in the 75th for his second yellow card.

　　On the winning goal, Baros' shot was deflected by van der Sar. Karel Poborsky collected the deflection and passed to Smicer who tapped the ball in from close.

　　The Czech-Dsutch rivalry has a colorful and lengthening history. After the Dutch helped boot the Czechs from Euro 2000, the Czechs bested the Dutch in Euro 2004 qualifying. But the Dutch survived qualifying playoffs and the Czechs were dismayed to see them wind up in Group D.

　　The teams have been paired again in qualifying for the 2006 World Cup in Germany.

　　(AP/Reuters)