Netherlands coach Marco van Basten can bask in the glory of two famous victories over the two 2006 World Cup finalists, knowing at least one of them and possibly both will be heading home from Euro 2008 in a few days.

Van Basten, aiming to become the first person to win Euro titles as a player and a coach, was rewarded for his boldness in the 4-1 defeat of France on Friday night just as he got the tactics right in the 3-0 drubbing or world champions Italy on Monday.

The 43-year-old coach was fortunate in both games in that the Dutch scored at the right times, but seven goals can't just be luck, and now the Dutch are riding on a huge wave of confidence.

In contrast France's Raymond Domenech, a more experienced coach if less illustrious player, has had less fortune.

Criticized for being over cautious in the 0-0 draw against Romania, he will now be lambasted for his choice of players and tactics after a defeat which leaves Les Bleus in a dire position in Group C.

A tough full-back who played eight times for France, 56-year-old Domenech has, unlike playing great van Basten, failed to form a team with the cohesion and sense of purpose shown by the Dutch.

The French now have to beat Italy on Tuesday and rely on the already-qualified Dutch showing similar zest against Romania, even if van Basten decides to field a B team in Berne on Tuesday.

Van Basten's substitutions proved decisive in the 4-1 victory in a Stade de Suisse bathed in the orange of the huge travelling Dutch support.

"We were a little bit lucky," he said. "We just made the goals at the right moment and that helped us a lot."

However the coach was not tempted to shore up a 1-0 half-time lead but sought greater attacking threat. He replaced holding midfielder Orlando Engelaar for Real Madrid flying winger Arjen Robben, and 10 later minutes Arsenal striker Robin van Persie came on for Dirk Kuyt, scorer of the opening goal.

Robben, showing no sign of the groin strain which left him out of the opening game against Italy, was an instant threat. He raced down the left to set up van Persie to score and then hammered in the third from a tight angle less than a minute after Thierry Henry had scored for France.

Man-of-the match Wesley Snijder than completed the rout with a tremendous strike in stoppage time.

Robben on the left exposed just one area of French defensive weakness amid an ageing back four including right-back Willy Sagnol, 31, and centre-backs Lilian Thuram, 36, and William Gallas, 30.

Although France played well, with Franck Ribery especially in marvellous form, and were unlucky not to have scored more than once, not enough of the contingent were individually at their best.

The defeat "hurts", Domenech said, pointing to unusual defensive frailties.

"Certain players did not do what they had to do," he said.

"Our defence was always our strength. We were unlucky at times, but they have quality and we were missing something.

"We were not efficient and that has been our recurring problem for a while now. You can't do much about that. Every time we came back into the match they scored, and that's what killed us."

The Italians were saying much the same thing last Monday. (dpa)