Dutch fans honked car horns and chanted anti-German songs on Wednesday after the Netherlands beat Latvia 3-0 to advance to the Euro 2004 quarter-finals and their arch-rivals went out.

　　In the town of Venlo near the German border, several hundred young fans attacked cars with German licence plates, the ANP news agency reported.

　　Fans who had crammed into bars festooned with orange balloons in the Dutch capital cheered when they heard that the Czech Republic had beaten Germany 2-1, eliminating the Netherlands' traditional foes and putting the Dutch through.

　　"The team's game was fresh and it gives me hope for the quarter-finals. They were attacking in a typical Dutch way, pressure football. I think they'll play well against Sweden," said Tim Boesman, a 28-year-old lawyer in a packed pub.

　　Wind and rain kept crowds away from the squares that are traditionally the focus of soccer celebrations. Cars driving along Amsterdam's central canals honked in unison.

　　"I'm very happy that the Czech Republic beat Germany," said Gerard Cillessen, a 26-year-old wearing an orange T-shirt and chanting "Shame, Germany, everything is over" with his friends.

　　Others had sympathy for the country's neighbours.

　　"Just as Germany and the Netherlands had done so much to repair their rivalries, everything came to the surface again as the teams were in the same group," said Inger Schaap, a 20-year-old history student.

　　Many fans appeared to have forgiven coach Dick Advocaat, who was slammed for substituting winger Arjen Robben during the 3-2 defeat by the Czech Republic last weekend.

　　"Advocaat is a good coach, you can't judge somebody just on one substitution. One substitution does not make or break a game. We will be European champions," said Teun ter Bruggen, a 43-year-old who renovates old buildings.

　　Boesman agreed: "The criticism he got was much too personal. It would be bizarre if the most criticized coach ended up being the winning coach."