Dutch-German rivalry gets flying start

The Dutch-German soccer rivalry got off to a flying start before the two teams meet in Euro 2012 Group B later on Wednesday with two Dutch planes delaying the arrival of German media as well as friends and family of the players. 

The Dutch airplanes, parked without passengers, at Kharkiv airport were refusing to give up their stairs for a German plane carrying reporters to the match, leaving them for more than 20 minutes waiting in scorching heat inside the plane on the tarmac.  

"It seems the two Dutch planes are playing a game with us and do not want to give up the stairs," the pilot of the German media flight told passengers. 

Airport staff eventually provided stairs for the sweat-drenched Germans. 

The two nations have enjoyed a long-standing soccer rivalry since the emergence of the Dutch as a global football powerhouse in the 1970s, particularly after Germany's 2-1 final victory at the 1974 World Cup.   

The 1990 World Cup round-of-16 win for the West Germans included an infamous incident where Dutchman Frank Rijkaard spat at German Rudi Voeller and both players were sent off.
 

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