AP
Dirk Kuyt

VIENNA, Austria (AP):

The Netherlands piled on the goals for the second straight match yesterday, routing World Cup runner-up France 4-1 only four days after embarrassing Italy at the European Championship.

The 1988 champions were supposed to struggle to earn a spot in the quarter-finals at this year's tournament, but, instead, the team has clinched first place in Group C after only two matches. Dirk Kuyt, Robin van Persie, Arjen Robben and Wesley Sneijder scored a goal each for the Dutch in Bern. The only goal the Dutch have conceded came from Thierry Henry, who scored his record 45th for France in the 71st minute.

Italy struggled

Italy, which beat France on penalties in the 2006 World Cup final, again struggled yesterday, but stayed alive at Euro 2008 when goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon preserved a 1-1 draw with Romania in Zurich by saving an 81st-minute penalty from Adrian Mutu.

"A save is a save - I was lucky," said Buffon, whose team needs to beat France on Tuesday to have any chance of advancing from the tournament's toughest group. "The draw doesn't make things easy for us, but thinking about the fact that we could have been eliminated, we've got to be pleased for this point."

The Netherlands became the third team to reach the quarter-finals, following the progression of Portugal and Croatia on the previous two days.

Today, the four teams in Group D play their second match of the tournament, with Spain facing Sweden in Innsbruck and defending champion Greece playing Russia in Salzburg.