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Defending champions Holland have failed to qualify for the play-offs for the 2009 UEFA European Under-21 Championship in Sweden. Foppe de Haan's team needed one point against Switzerland to qualify for the play-offs, but conceded a goal with four minutes to play:1-0.
Amrabat, Pieters and Nijland
Kenneth Vermeer kept the Jong Oranje, who had included the PSV players Erik Pieters and Nordin Amrabat in their starting line-up, in the game and even saved a penalty ten minutes from time. The goalkeeper was left without a chance, though, when Reto Ziegler curled home a superb free kick from twenty yards out with four minutes to play. Switzerland are Group 5 winners, booking a place in the Euro 2009 play-offs, at the expense of the Netherlands. Foppe de Haan's team were eliminated from the tournament as they were not one of the four best runners-up. The ten group winners and the four best runners-up from the qualifying competition will enter the play-off draw for the final tournament. The seven winners of the play-off matches will be joining hosts Sweden for the final tournament. Holland Under-21 were without Dirk Marcellis in Schaffhausen on Tuesday night, after the PSV defender sustained an injury during Friday's qualifying game against Norway. Stef Nijland was handed his debut in the 81ste minute, when he replaced Amrabat.
Holland U-21 line-up:
Vermeer, Zuiverloon (22, Hiariej), Jong-A-Pin, Van der Wiel, Pieters, Brama, De Jong (76, Janssen), Emanuelson, De Guzman, Lens and Amrabat (81, Nijland).
Arbiter
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