9 hours ago
Barcelona and Bayern legend's son, 20, has two-minute nightmare at U21 Euros and leaves pitch with head in hands
A BARCELONA and Bayern Munich legend's son had a nightmare couple of minutes at the Under-21 Euros.
Ruben van Bommel - son of Mark - started for Holland in their quarter-final clash with Portugal.
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But he was sent off before the midway point of the first half in Slovakia.
Van Bommel Jr, 20, picked up his first yellow card for a shove on 19 minutes.
And in the 21st, he made a cynical tackle on Chelsea new-boy Geovany Quenda as the teenage winger tried to launch a counter attack.
That left Georgian referee Goga Kikacheishvili with a decision to make.
And he brandished a second yellow to send Van Bommel for an early bath.
The AZ youngster was evidently gutted.
He trudged off the pitch heartbroken with his head buried in his hands and covered by his shirt.
The 6ft 3ins star had a brief conversation with a member of the Dutch coaching staff before heading down the tunnel.
His captain Devyne Rensch remonstrated with the official but his protests came to nothing and Holland had to play three-quarters of the quarter-final with ten men.
Van Bommel - whose dad Mark was one of eight Dutchmen booked in the 2010 World Cup final - must have feared he had ruined his country's chances of European glory.
England u21s clash with Germany SUSPENDED as stadium plunged into semi-darkness and players taken off pitch
Especially when, just ten minutes after the red card, Rensch conceded a penalty.
But Quenda stepped up and sent the goalkeeper the wrong way... only to see his spot-kick cannon off the post and away.
The Dutch defence - featuring Ian Maatsen - stood firm for the remainder of the tie before substitute Ernest Poku grabbed a dramatic late winner for Holland to send them into the semis.
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