All quiet on the Eindhoven front

Portugal fans enjoy the game

By BBC Sport Online's man in Eindhoven, Pete Lansley.

It was all quiet on the Eindhoven front as England supporters made their way into town in the hours leading up to their opening Euro 2000 game with Portugal.

After the early-evening parties in Brussels, Bruges and Amsterdam, it was as if the tournament had stumbled across its first hangover.

"There was a great atmosphere in Amsterdam last night with the Dutch by day and the English by night," said Paul Smith, 41, from Chesterfield. "We all got on fine - they cleared off as soon as got there.

"It's been quiet here, a lot quieter than I expected. After yesterday, it's like a morgue. Not as quiet as a Chesterfield home game, though."

Basking in the late-afternoon sun outside the De Bengel Hotel in the city centre, about 100 England followers sipped their refreshment quietly.

Little did they what was to become of their side a couple of hours down the line.

Painted

The Portuguese, faces painted, heads dressed and in full maroon regalia, danced to a Dutch band playing but appeared rather bemused to find no party going on.

A Dutch bar man cheers on England

Dutchman Aldo, serving a very refreshing pint and, in honour of Holland's first victory, an orange spaghetti, wore an England t-shirt. "But I'm a fan of football," he said.

"Today has been very quiet so far. Our hotel is fully booked tonight but, with today being a Bank Holiday, business has been much slower than I would have expected.

"It's disappointing in trade terms but everything has been fine and low key. I think England will win 3-1 tonight and that would be a good result."

Two England-supporting Australians were looking forward to their international debut. Matt, 23, is from Newcastle, down under, but supports Sunderland.

Promotion

"We're living in London at the moment, as most Aussies do," he said. "I originally came over to watch Sunderland win promotion from the First Division because all my family came from up there.

Portugal fans before the game

"I followed them right round up until the end of the season - it was fantastic - and then thought I might stick around in Europe to come over here for this."

Pete, 24, said: "We're basically ex-pats one generation removed and I'd love England to get to the last four. But I've got a £10 bet with Matt that they won't. I'd be happy to lose my money though.

"There was a fantastic atmosphere in Amsterdam centre last night, with the Czechs and the Dutch. It's been pretty quiet here so far but I don't think it's been tense at all. There's a really good police presence but they don't seem to be getting in the way. It's quite laid-back. You should be safe for your cup of tea."

Inside the stadium, Eusebio wandered over to bring a rousing reaction from the Portuguese supporters. But 20 minutes from kick-off, the magnificent Philips Stadium still only half full, not even the remix of Gloria Gaynor's I Will Survive, which has been leading all the continental supporters into scarf-wheeling party mood, could lift the England supporters.

Maybe they knew what was coming.