Vevey (Switzerland): France need to wake up from a dismal start to avoid being overrun by a confident Dutch side in their second Euro 2008 game on Friday in Berne. While The Netherlands opened their group C campaign with a 3-0 demolition of world champions Italy with a fluency as potent as the total football they invented in the 1970s, France had just one shot on target in a dull 0-0 draw with Romania.

A draw would place France in an uncomfortable situation before facing Italy in their final group game while a defeat would leave them on the verge of an embarrassing early exit.

But France coach Raymond Domenech still thinks they can win group C and qualify for the quarter finals in first place. “We have two matches left, and the results depend on us. For the moment we are not calculating. The objective is still to play to win.”

The Dutch, by contrast, just have to repeat their performance against Italy to make sure of a place in the quarter finals.

France are hoping to welcome back captain Patrick Vieira and striker Thierry Henry, who missed the match against Romania with thigh injuries.

Coach Marco van Basten has no reason to make any changes to a side who gave him an almost perfect performance against Italy. He said Arjen Robben would be fit to face France after recovering from a groin injury. Robben injured his groin last weekend and missed the match against Italy. Initially, it was thought he could be lost for the whole first round, but he has recovered in a record five days. “He is not only ready for Romania but also ready for France,” Van Basten said after Robben trained a full session with the team. “He is fit.” (AGENCIES)