Business as usual for Melis

Netherlands striker Manon Melis says she and her team-mates are not about to change their methods now as they prepare to take on England in the UEFA WOMEN'S EURO 2009™ semi-finals on Sunday.

Players focused
Contesting their first final tournament in this competition, the Oranje have defied expectations to book themselves a place in the last four, defeating Ukraine and Denmark in the group stage before eliminating France on penalties to reach the semis. These are high times for the Netherlands squad, who have been rewarded with state salaries for their efforts, but Melis insisted that now is not the time to let minds wander. "It was difficult to focus yesterday but we are focused again now and we will have time to enjoy what we've achieved after the tournament," she said.

'No extra pressure'
The potential for nerves to fray must be high ahead of the meeting with England in Tampere, however Melis stressed that the Netherlands will approach the match as they would any other. "There's no extra pressure," she said. "We'll do our thing and prepare as usual. I've experienced no different atmosphere within the team, but it's important that there's more media attention now."

'No difference'
The laid-back LdB FC Malmö forward is also unperturbed by the prospect of coming up against one of the finest talents in women's football, Kelly Smith. "She's a leader on the field, but for me it makes no difference," Melis said. "Every match is important and the game is about eleven players against eleven." Her country's second highest goalscorer of all time, Melis is likewise drawing no encouragement from her experience of hitting a winning goal against England in Swindon in a March 2007 friendly. "That's not how I think about it," she said. "This is a new game and we have to start again."