Good evening and welcome to Sports Mole's live text commentary of tonight's crunch game from Group B as the Netherlands take on Germany in Kharkiv.
The Dutch suffered one of the shocks of the tournament over the weekend as they were beaten 1-0 by Denmark. In contrast, Germany got off to a winning start thanks to a 1-0 triumph over Portugal.
Following Portugal's 3-2 victory over Denmark earlier this evening, Bert Van Marwijk's side are now in desperate need of the three points against their old foes.
20.41Right, that's it from Sports Mole this evening. We hope you've enjoyed our live commentary of the match. Join us tomorrow for commentaries of Italy vs. Croatia and Ireland vs. Spain. It's sure to be another great day of action. Thanks again and goodnight!
20.38It's a great win for Germany as they give themselves a brilliant chance of reaching the quarter-finals. Joachim Low's side now only need a point to qualify. Meanwhile, the Dutch are in deep trouble. They're not out of it yet but they have to beat Denmark to have a hope of being in the last eight. Group B was dubbed the 'Group of Death' and it's really living up to its name. Any of the four sides can progress with one game to play.
90+3 minFULL TIME: Netherlands 1-2 Germany
90+3 minThe Netherlands are being boxed into their own third of the pitch, exactly where they don't want to be.
90+1 minMuller is coming off for Germany and he'll be replaced by the 21-year-old Lars Bender.
90 minWe'll have three minutes of stoppage time. Can the Dutch find an equaliser?
89 minOh my word! De Jong plays the ball back to Stekelenburg but Klose is there and nearly tackles the keeper to score. Stekelenburg gathers the ball but that could have been a disaster.
87 minBoateng is booked for time-wasting which means he'll miss Germany's next game against Denmark. Needless.
85 minVan der Vaart tries his luck from distance now but it skims wide.
83 minIf there is ever a man who has a knack of scoring important goals it's Dirk Kuyt. Can he bag his side an equaliser in this final seven minutes?
82 minA change for the Netherlands now as Dirk Kuyt comes on for Robben, who is having a right old sulk as he walks off the pitch.
80 minSubstitution for Germany as Toni Kroos replaces Ozil. The playmaker has had a fine evening for his country.
80 minNow it's Germany pouring forward and they win a free kick when De Jong flattens Ozil. De Jong picks up a yellow card.
77 minThe Dutch are looking the hungrier now...
75 minWeak German appeals for a penalty as Ozil is tackled by De Jong. The referee correctly waves play on.
74 minMeanwhile, before that goal flew in, Germany took off goalscorer Gomez and brought on Miroslav Klose. What a great 15 minutes we have in store.
73 minWe have a game on now! Van Persie is allowed to run at the German defence before he unleashes an unstoppable right-footed (yes, right-footed) drive past Neuer from 18 yards.
72 minGOAL! Netherlands 1-2 Germany (Van Persie)
71 minBrilliant from Robben. He weaves through the German defence before playing in Sneijder on the other side of the area. His shot is heading towards goal but Boateng flings himself at the ball to block.
69 minClose again for the Netherlands. Robben controls on his chest but his turn and shot doesn't come off and trickles wide.
67 minSneijder has to be careful here. He's penalised for a foul on Khedira and nearly punches the ball away in frustration.
66 minThe crowd are on their feet as Robben tries to thread the ball through to Sneijder. However, it's marginally overcooked and goes out. They've got a goal in them here, the Dutch.
63 minThe Dutch go close again through Sneijder, but the effort goes the wrong side of the post. They're building a head of steam now.
59 minVan Persie! The striker nearly pulls a goal back with his first-time drive from the edge of the box but Neuer makes a low save.
57 minThe Netherlands have a corner after Robben's effort is deflected over. Mathijsen gets his head to it but the ball flies over.
57 minThe Netherlands have a corner after Robben's effort is deflected over. Mathijsen gets his head to it but the ball flies over.
57 minThe Netherlands have a corner after Robben's effort is deflected over. Mathijsen gets his head to it but the ball flies over.
57 minThe Netherlands have a corner after Robben's effort is deflected over. Mathijsen gets his head to it but the ball flies over.
54 minFor all of their quality the Dutch are looking very flat in attack. They can't seem to make that telling pass that would open up a proper opportunity.
54 minFor all of their quality the Dutch are looking very flat in attack. They can't seem to make that telling pass that would open up a proper opportunity.
54 minFor all of their quality the Dutch are looking very flat in attack. They can't seem to make that telling pass that would open up a proper opportunity.
54 minFor all of their quality the Dutch are looking very flat in attack. They can't seem to make that telling pass that would open up a proper opportunity.
52 minHummels! The defender is allowed to wander through the Dutch defence before his shot is saved by Stekelenburg. The rebound comes back out to the centre-back, but the keeper pulls off an acrobatic another save to tip it away.
50 minThere's a bit of fur flying out there now as Muller and Van der Vaart come together.
48 minGomez goes down clutching his face following a collision with the brick wall that it Johnny Heitinga. The referee allows play to continue though.
46 minGermany have a free kick on the left after Podolski was fouled. Could be dangerous, but it goes out for a corner.
45 min...and it's Mark Van Bommel and Ibrahim Afellay to make way. A real statement of intent from Bert van Marwijk there. Germany to get us underway for this second period.
20.46Here comes the players for the second half and it looks like Rafael van der Vaart and Klaas-Jan Huntelaar will be coming on for the Dutch...
20.37Looking for a concise view of the first half? Then click here for Sports Mole's Half-Time Report. We'll be back in five.
20.35It's rumoured that Rafael van der Vaart will be coming on after the break, so we'll keep you posted on that one. At this rate the Netherlands will be hoping for Johan Cruyff, Marco van Basten and Dennis Bergkamp to be lacing up.
20.34Where doe the Dutch go from here? They started the match positively, but two fabulous strikes from Mario Gomez have given them it all to do.
20.32HALF TIME: Netherlands 0-2 Germany
45+1 minAnd it nearly goes in! The free kick is deflected off Robben before being pushed over by Stekelenburg. However, we won't have the corner as the referee blows for half time.
45+1 minGermany will have one last chances as Van Bommel gives away a free kick on the left with a foul on Lukas Podolski.
45 minWe'll have one minute of stoppage time...
44 minAn increasingly rare Dutch attack breaks down as Van Persie overhits to Robben.
42 minJust seeing replays of Gomez's second. It's classic centre forward stuff: Power and precision. Just wonderful.
41 minGermany, on the other hand, are enjoying themselves tremendously out there as Boateng smashes a speculative effort high and wide.
40 minYou have to say that this looks bad for Bert van Marwijk's men now...
38 minIt's 2-0 now! Schweinsteiger slides the ball down the right to Gomez who thumps in an unstoppable finish on the angle and into the far corner. That was a superb finish.
37 minNetherlands 0-2 Germany (Gomez)
37 minHow has that not gone in?! Badstuber has a free header from five yards out following Ozil's free kick, but the defender nods it straight at Stekelenburg before the ball is thumped away. Should have been 2-0.
35 minThat was promising again for the Netherlands but their attack comes to nothing when Van Bommel get dispossessed on the edge of the area.
34 minVan Persie tries to play in Sneijder but gets his pass all wrong and the ball goes out for a goal kick. It's quickly becoming that sort of night for the Dutch.
32 minClose again for Germany! Muller swings an inviting ball across goal from the right and Gomez is inches away from bagging his second goal of the match.
31 minGermany are dictating play now, looking totally relaxed on the ball. Meanwhile, the Dutch seem to have had the stuffing knocked out of them.
28 minTo repeat, the Netherlands can't be knocked out of the tournament tonight, but a defeat would severely damage their hopes of progressing to the quarter-finals.
25 minHow do the Dutch react now? With a powerful Robben drive, that's how. The winger makes space for himself before launching a 30-yarder towards goal. The only probalem is that it goes right down the throat of Neuer.
23 minI only said that in the hope that a goal would come. With his back to goal, Gomez collects the ball on the edge of the area before executing a delightful turn which allows him to slot in past Stekelenburg. That's two in two for the striker now in this tournament.
23 minGOAL! Netherlands 0-1 Germany (Gomez)
23 minBoth sides quite happy to sit back now. There was a 10-minute spell of open football which has since disappeared.
20 minRobben's head is now bleeding following a clash of heads with Holger Badstuber. The winger goes off for treatment.
18 min...which comes to nothing.
18 minDanger for the Dutch as Mario Gomez heads down to Ozil, but his shot is blocked. At the other end Ibrahim Afellay tries to pick out Van Persie but the ball goes out for a corner...
16 minSolid from Jerome Boateng there as Van Persie expertly controls on his chest before the defender makes the block.
15 minDamp squibs have been few and far between at this tournament so far and it looks like we'll be treated to another 90 minutes of entertainment this evening. It's been a good opening 15 minutes.
13 minGerman appeals for a penalty are waved away after Ozil is blocked off by Joris Mathijsen. The referee deems it to be above board and I think he's right.
11 minVan Persie again! Robben slides the ball through to the edge of the area, but the forward drags his right-footed shot wide of the far post.
10 minDisappointing from Wesley Sneijder as he leads an attack before getting his feet tangled over the ball. Germany had plenty of men committed upfield there.
8 minNow Germany have an opportunity! Mesut Ozil fizzes an effort at Maarten Stekelenburg, but the goalkeeper gets down low to gather.
8 minThat opening should give the Dutch some encouragement. Van Persie just couldn't connect sweetly with the ball.
6 minCHANCE! A long ball finds Van Persie in the area, but the striker, outstretched, hits a tame volley at Manuel Neuer. I think he had more time than he realised there.
5 minAn interesting tempo to this opening five minutes. The Dutch have looked slightly more meancing going foreward, while the Germans appear typically unflustered.
4 minThe referee blows his whistle for the first free kick of the match. Nigel De Jong has a nibble at Thomas Muller and gives away the foul.
2 minGermany getting a feel for the ball now as they knock it around in the middle.
1 minThe Netherlands are probing straight away. Arjen Robben tries to guide a ball through to Robin van Persie, but the striker slips at the vital moment.
1 minThe Kharkiv crowd roars as the match starts.
19.43It looks like it'll be the Dutch to get us underway...
19.40Here come the two sides. German coach Joachim Low is raising a defiant fist to someone in the crowd from the dugout. He looks psyched.
19.38Just over five minutes to kick off now and we have the usual surreal displays of song and dance out on the pitch...
19.34In contrast, Germany can take a giant leap towards the quarter-finals with victory this evening. It could be a double-whammy for them too: Edge closer to the next round while severly denting their rivals' hopes. They'd love that, wouldn't they?
19.30As it stands, Germany, Portugal and Denmark all have three points in Group B. What that means is that the Netherlands cannot be eliminated from the competition tonight. However, with Portugal to come in their final game, the Dutch will surely be looking for more than a point tonight.
19.24There's not much to bring you on the team news front apart from Joris Mathijsen coming in to replace Ron Vlaar in the Dutch defence. Meanwhile, Germany have stuck with the same XI that saw off Portgual in their opening game.
19.20Enjoying the tournament so far? It's hopefully going to get even better tonight as two of Europe's big boys go head to head.
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