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Updated Saturday May 27, 2000
Last friendly for Holland and Romania
By Philip Blenkinsop

AMSTERDAM, May 26 (Reuters) - Four Dutchmen and three Romanians face a last chances to impress their coaches on Saturday as the sides play their final international before European Championship squads are announced.

In the Dutch camp, those sweating the most will be domestic players Andre Ooijer, Jeffrey Talan, Paul Bosvelt and Peter van Vossen, none of whom have featured prominently in Frank Rijkaard's preparations.

Feyenoord's Van Vossen has not been selected for almost a year, while Talan's cause is hampered by an Achilles tendon injury. The Heerenveen player said he would have a final check on his fitness on Friday.

'I have to be able to play on Saturday. Otherwise, Euro 2000 is over for me,' Talan said on Thursday. The Dutch also have three absences due to continued club competitions.

The Scottish Cup will take out the two Glasgow Rangers players Arthur Numan and Giovanni van Bronckhorst, while Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink is busy with the Spanish Cup Final.

Hasselbaink's absence is a blow for Rijkaard, who is keen to establish his favoured strikers, particularly after the withdrawal of injured Ruud van Nistelrooy a month ago.

The Dutch are also anxious to register a rare victory in their final home friendly before the competition proper.

While Rijkaard's record of 11 draws from 15 matches has impressed few at home, Romania's Gheorgi Hagi is warning of 'disaster' if his team mates fail to show maximum determination.

'The Dutch are really strong at home.. If we don't concentrate we could give away half a dozen goals,' Hagi said. Like the hosts, Romania have faced criticism for a 2-0 loss to Greece in March and April's lacklustre 2-0 defeat of Cyprus.

Hagi, who announced earlier this year that he would retire from international soccer after Euro 2000, said he would discuss his future playing plans after the Amsterdam match.

Coach Emeric Ienei meanwhile has said the Romanian defence will hold the key to the game. 'Romania must field a strong defence line to face the incisive Dutch strikers. In my view, the Romanian defence will decide the score,' Ienei told journalists.

The dearth of good defenders led Ienei to called up veteran Steaua Bucharest sweeper Miodrag Belodedici. The 36-year-old could yet make Euro 2000.

Probable teams:

Netherlands - Edwin van der Sar (Juventus); Michael Reiziger (Barcelona), Jaap Stam (Manchester United), Frank de Boer (Barcelona), Winston Bogarde (Barcelona); Clarence Seedorf (Inter Milan), Edgar Davids (Juventus), Phillip Cocu (Barcelona); Marc Overmars (Arsenal), Dennis Bergkamp (Arsenal), Patrick Kluivert (Barcelona).

Romania - Bogdan Stelea (Salamanca); Cosmin Contra (Alaves), Miodrag Belodedici (Steaua Bucharest), Liviu Ciubotariu (Standard Liege), Iulian Filipescu (Betis); Dan Petrescu (Chelsea), Gheorghe Popescu (Steaua Bucharest), Constantin Galca (Espanol), Gheorghe Hagi (Galatasaray), Adrian Ilie (Valencia), Viorel Moldovan (Fenerbahce).

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