Frank Rijkaard's side once again flattered to deceive - having escaped with a fortunate 1-0 win over the Czech Republic earlier in the week - and the woodwork was to save them as it did in that game when the Czechs struck it twice.

Holland coach Rijkaard put his faith in Arsenal pair Marc Overmars and Dennis Bergkamp to fire his side beyond Denmark and into the second round of Euro 2000.

The Dutch, going into the match knowing a win would guarantee their place in the last eight, made changes to the side that beat the Czech Republic earlier in the week.

Gunners winger Marc Overmars returned to the Dutch side in place of Clarence Seedorf but the injured Jaap Stam, of Manchester United, gave way to Bert Konterman.

And it was Rangers-bound Konterman who fashioned the first opening of the game, his long ball seized on by Patrick Kluivert, only for Michael Schjonberg to usher the ball to Peter Schmeichel.

Current Rangers midfielder Giovanni van Bronckhorst made a different kind of early impression, entering referee Urs Meier's notebook for a hefty challenge on Morten Bisgaard.

Danish midfielder Bisgaard then provided the first attempt at goal but his seventh-minute shot lacked the power to trouble Edwin van der Sar.

Former Manchester United goalkeeper Schmeichel made a timely dash from his line two minutes later, beating Bergkamp to Michael Reiziger's chip.

Reiziger then joined van Bronckhorst in the book, being yellow-carded for stopping Jesper Gronkjaer in full flow.

The home side were struggling to break down the organised Danish ranks and may have even fallen behind to Bo Johansson's side on 24 minutes.

Bisgaard surged his way down the Dutch left and, having beaten Edgar Davids on the by-line, crossed low into the six-yard box.

Edwin van der Sar parried the ball and Bisgaard's instinctive shot was only kept out by the prostrate body of team-mate Allan Nielsen.

Denmark were clearly troubling Holland down the flanks and Frank de Boer snuffed out the next raid, turning Gronkjaer's low centre out of the danger area for a corner three minutes later.

Overmars should have put the blue-shirted Dutch ahead on the half-hour but, reacting to a mistake by Schmeichel, watched his volley dribble the wrong side of a post.

Schmeichel had failed to hold Patrick Kluivert's shot - his side's first on-target effort of the match - and the ball looped to Overmars.

But Schmeichel pressured the winger as he shaped to shoot and Overmars failed to make clean contact, much to the relief of the giant keeper.

Jon Dahl Tomasson, playing in his home stadium - that of Feyenoord, should have made more of a far-post chance moments later but failed to make contact with a speculative over-head kick when he appeared to have more time.

It took the probings of Bergkamp to rouse Holland from their tepid opening, and Schmeichel's bravery to keep the scores level.

Edgar Davids seized onto a slide-rule Bergkamp pass but the midfielder's shot was charged down by the keeper.

But Denmark came even closer to an opening goal a minute before the interval when Thomas Gravesen took advantage of hesitant defending to shoot from 20 yards. The midfielder's curling effort beat the bewildered van der Sar only to strike the crossbar.