Netherlands Vs. Denmark: Watch Live Stream Online Of Euro 2012 Group B Encounter; Prediction, Probable Lineups, Preview

Preview: After an entertaining opening day to Euro 2012, day two promises more of the same as the group of death gets underway. Featuring four teams who sit inside the top 10 of FIFA's rankings, it is an unenviable prospect for each nation involved.

For the Netherlands, starting against what is on paper the weakest team of Group B, Denmark, they know that a win is all but imperative with games to come against the might of Germany and Portugal.

After finishing runners-up at the 2010 World Cup, the Dutch qualified in impressive fashion; winning all nine games before losing in their final match to Sweden when a place in the finals was already assured.

Despite criticism from many for the un-Dutch like tactics displayed in South Africa, particularly in the final against Spain, coach Bert van Marwijk will stick with the core of the side from two years ago.

That means that Mark van Bommel and Nigel de Jong will again form a robust and destructive pairing in front of the back four. The defense may need protecting too. Already the weakest area of the team, they suffered a late blow as it was confirmed that experienced Joris Mathijsen will fail to recover in time for the opening encounter after suffering with a hamstring injury.

Going forward things look more positive. Robin van Persie arrives off the back of his best ever season and it says something that the Dutch will leave out a man with 31 international goals and who struck over 40 times for Schalke last season, Klaas-Jan Huntelaar.

Much will again be expected of Arjen Robben and Wesley Sneijder. But both arrive in Ukraine with doubts hanging over their heads. Robben will need to recover fast from the disappointment of missing a penalty in the Champions League final and subsequently being booed by his own fans at Bayern Munich. Sneijder, meanwhile, has had a frustrating season with Inter, interrupted by both injury and dips in form.

Opponents Denmark have every right to rue being drawn in this harshest of groups. It is an undoubtedly talented pool of players that veteran coach Morten Olsen brings to Euro 2012. And, while they will begin as underdogs, it's worth remembering that the Danes topped a qualifying group that included Group B rivals Portugal.

Much of the attention and reliance will be on attacking midfielder Christian Eriksen. The 20-year-old Ajax star has been hyped as the next big thing of Danish and indeed European soccer since making his debut for the national team at just 18.

But Denmark is far from a one-man show. There is a solid defense featuring Livepool's Daniel Agger and Roma's Simon Kjaer and in Nicklas Bendtner they have a striker who, despite what Premier League audiences have witnessed, is a s reliable scorer and focal point at international level

Netherlands (probable, 4-2-3-1)

G: Stekelenburg

D: Van der Wiel, Heitinga, Bouma, Willems

M: De Jong, Van Bommel

Robben, Sneijder, Afellay

F: Van Persie

Denmark (probable, 4-2-3-1)

G: Andersen

D: Jacobsen, Kjaer, Agger, S. Poulsen

M: Zimling, Kvist

Rommedahl, Eriksen, Krohn-Dehli

F: Bendtner

Prediction: While it is hard to see them making it through to the quarter-finals, don't expect Denmark to be the whipping boys of Group B. They have more than enough to provide the Netherlands with an incredibly difficult opening to Euro 2012. A draw is far from out of the question, but the Dutch should have enough quality going forward to register a narrow win.

Netherlands 2-1 Denmark