AMSTERDAM, June 28 (Reuters) - The attacking philosophy that threatens to carry the Netherlands all the way to the Euro 2000 title faces soccer's acid test in Thursday's second semifinal when the hosts and highest-scorers come face-to-face with Italy, the masters of defence.

The 6-1 thrashing of Yugoslavia in the quarter-finals has sent the Dutch soccer-crazy and the team are being swept towards Sunday's final on a wave of orange.

But Italy, with their hugely experienced rearguard conceding just two goals in four victorious games, will not crumble so easily in Amsterdam's Arena.

And while coach Frank Rijkaard is doing his best to dampen Dutch expectations, Italy have suddenly come to believe in themselves and their ability to reach their first final since the Azzurri won their only European title in 1968.

The match promises to be a fascinating duel, and though there is more to it than simply a clash of attacking and defensive policies, it is true that the two sides have reached the last four with differing approaches.

The Dutch, after scraping past the Czech Republic in their opener, have gelled as a unit and looked more exciting and inventive with each match.

Patrick Kluivert and Dennis Bergkamp have been combining superbly with Bergkamp creating the chances and Kluivert greedily converting them.

Edgar Davids has had an excellent tournament in the middle of midfield while Marc Overmars and Boudewijn Zenden have been a growing menace on the flanks.

They will be without in-form left back Arthur Numan, who is out of the tournament with a foot injury, but his Rangers club mate Giovanni Von Bronckhorst is an able replacement.

Rijkaard has said he expects Thursday's match to be tight and tense but has pledged not change to his tactics and promised his side will try to impose their style from the start.

'They are the masters of defence as they have shown over the years and we know we have to find new ways to get through them, he said.

'We have seen how they can soak up pressure then break and with a moment's brilliance win a game they have been under pressure in. But we cannot be concerned about that. We have to try to dominate the game and let them do the worrying about how to stop us.'

The Italians, whose progress to this stage has been somewhat more functional, have their ideas on how to do just that and unsurprisingly they mainly involve stopping Kluivert adding to the five goals he has already scored in the tournament.

Lazio captain Alessandro Nesta, who has been superb so far, is the man likely to be given the task and the clash between the two will be one of the highlights of the game.

After a low-key start it seems Italy have really begun to believe in themselves since the 2-0 quarter-final victory over Romania and now the camp is alive with confident predictions.

'The Dutch have great players without a doubt but playing the way they do is a bit risky if you ask me,' said captain Paolo Maldini, who looks set to play despite a lingering thigh strain.

'We can deny them the space they want up front and have the ability to get into the holes they leave behind them.'

Francesco Totti, the AS Roma striker whose strong all-round displays have kept him in the starting lineup ahead of Alessandro Del Piero, added: 'It will be totally different from their Yugoslavia match - they will be facing a team who can cause them a few difficulties.'

The Italians think the pace of Totti and Filippo Inzaghi and the accurate probing of Stefano Fiore can expose the Dutch central defensive pairing of Frank De Boer and Jaap Stam.

In addition, tough-tackling Luigi Di Biagio, expected to come in for the injured Antonio Conte alongside Demetrio Albertini, won't give an inch to the rampaging Davids in what could be an explosive midfield battle.

The game is unlikely to be another seven goal affair like Sunday's quarter-final but it has the potential to be another classic encounter.