Striker Ruud van Nistelrooy scored a brilliantly-executed late goal to give the Netherlands a 1-1 draw with arch-rivals Germany in their opening Euro 2004 match.

Van Nistelrooy, who had endured a frustrating night, turned sharply to hook in a right-wing cross after 81 minutes, acrobatically steering the ball past goalkeeper Oliver Kahn to earn his side a point.

Germany had deservedly taken the lead on Tuesday through Torsten Frings's 30th-minute free kick and although the Dutch rallied in the closing stages, the Germans appeared to have done enough to win.

Instead, one point each means the Czech Republic top Group D after their earlier 2-1 win over Latvia.

"We played very well in the first half and deserved to go into the lead but I think a draw is a fair result because the Dutch did step up a gear in the second half," Germany coach Rudi Voeller said.

"There was tremendous disappointment in the locker room but I think the feeling will prevail that a draw was fair.

"In a way a draw is a good thing because it prevents the kind of complacency that settles in when you win clearly."

Dutch coach Dick Advocaat said his players had failed to carry out his tactical instructions.

"We didn't play well in the first half," he said. "My players didn't do what they were meant to do.

"We had too many people in defence when they were supposed to push on into midfield and we could hardly reach our strikers."