Euro 2012: Holland vs Germany - Live on BBC 1

All football fans will be watching this match in the group of death, with a distinct possibility that it could spell the death of the tournament for Holland.

By Joe Cawthorn /

This game is one we have all been looking forward to since the day the draw was made. I struggle to think of a bigger rivalry in International football, and when you add to the mixture the Dutch, one of the favourites before the tournament began, need to win realistically to stand a chance of qualification if Denmark avoids defeat to Portugal in the 5pm kick off, then you have the ingredients of one of the games of the tournament. One of the main questions that will be answered at around 7.45pm is will Bert van Marwijk stick with the front three from their first game defeat against Denmark. Robin Van Persie looked a shadow of the clinical genius we are used to seeing on Match of the Day, and Arjen Robben seemed to think every time he had the ball he had to shoot. Possible replacements include Schalke striker Klaas-Jan Huntelaar, who has told the press he was disappointed not to start the first game. It will be interesting to see if Marwijk keeps faith with his miss-firing frontline or shakes it up to get the three points the Dutch need. Centre half Joris Mathijsen has resumed training and could take part after missing the first game. Holland have not lost two games back to back since 1995, and they will be hoping they don€™t lose that record tonight. Germany go in to this game on the back of a rather uninspiring victory over Portugal, but a victory is a victory and Joachim Loew will know another one against Holland should do the job in the group stages. The Germans have a fully fit squad after Bastien Schweinsteiger came through the Portugal game unscathed. Again up front there are calls from a lot of the German media to play Klose, a German legend, in place of Mario Gomez, but his goal in the first game should ensure he keeps his shirt. Germany have not failed to score in a match since November 2010, so attacking is quite clearly their focus. This will be a record matching fifth time these two countries meet at a European Championship, and have met 38 times all together, with Germany narrowly in front with 14 victories to Holland€™s 10. These two teams were the top two scorers in qualifying for this tournament, the Dutch netting 37 times and Germany 34, so we should see plenty of chances created, but all eyes will surely be on Van Persie, hoping that he comes to life so this game has the best chance possible of living up to its hype. All football fans will be watching this match in the group of death, with a distinct possibility that it could spell the death of the tournament for Holland.