International roundup: Holland tear apart Northern Irish on James McPake’s debut

JAMES McPake’s international debut turned into an ordeal as Northern Ireland were outclassed by the Netherlands who completed their preparations for Euro 2012 with a 6-0 win at a sold-out Amsterdam Arena.

McPake, the Scots-born Coventry City defender who captained Hibs on loan last season and is in talks to return to Easter Road, is eligible to play for the Irish through a grandparent but it was tough bow for the former Livingston centre-back.

The visitors were prisoners in their own half from start to finish as a full-strength Oranje raced into a 4-0 half-time lead, with Arsenal’s Robin van Persie (two), Wesley Sneijder and Ibrahim Afellay all on target.

Afellay made it five in the 51st minute before defender Ron Vlaar completed the scoring.

Michael O’Neill, without the vast majority of his first-choice team for the match, has now lost both of his games in charge with a combined tally of nine conceded and none scored.

The starting XIs gave a heavy hint of what was to come, with Northern Ireland’s attack spearheaded by Will Grigg – a debutant who plies his trade at Walsall – and Holland’s by the imperious Van Persie. The gulf in class was mirrored across the pitch, with Holland’s side packed with household names while their opponents kicked off with just three players boasting more than ten caps.

Euro 2012 hosts Poland go into the championships in fine fettle after a morale-boosting 4-0 win over Andorra yesterday. Taking control of the game in the early stages, Ludovic Obraniak opened the scoring in the 13th minute, giving Andorra goalkeeper Josep Anton Gomez no chance.

Robert Lewandowski recovered from a horrendous tackle by Marcio Vieira to score Poland’s second on 37 minutes with a tremendous scissor-kick. Two minutes later captain Jakub Baszczykowski earned and scored a penalty. Marcin Wasilewski capped the performance to make it 4-0 against the jaded Andorrans.

Denmark beat Australia 2-0 to finish their Euro 2012 preparations with a flourish in front of their home fans in Copenhagen.

Liverpool’s Daniel Agger opened the scoring, converting a first-half penalty after being felled in the box. Andreas Bjelland, Agger’s partner at centre back, scored midway through the second half from a corner to make it 2-0.

Uruguay and Venezuela played out a 1-1 draw in a South American World Cup qualifier in Montevideo.