Defending champs Spain thrashed by 5-1
Sunday, 15 June 2014
SALVADOR, June 14 (AP): The Netherlands thrashed the defending world champions Spain 5-1 Friday with a clinical display of counterattacking football that had Spain chasing shadows at the end as Dutch fans roared "Ole!" each time their team passed the ball.
It was Spain's worst loss in the tournament since a 6-1 defeat to Brazil in 1950.
It was the Dutch performance that shocked even casual fans on the second day of World Cup, showing why Manchester United was so keen to sign Van Gaal to rebuild the storied club.
He starts work at Old Trafford when the Netherlands leave Brazil. If they keep playing this way, he could keep Manchester fans waiting until mid-July.
Spain, which won the last two European Championships and the 2010 World Cup, will probably have to beat Chile and Australia to qualify for the next round, where a likely date with favorite Brazil awaits.
Spain showed flashes of its slick-passing, ball-control, "tiki-taka" style, but never recovered from Van Persie's masterful goal.
"The equaliser was very crucial at that point," Netherlands midfielder Jonathan de Guzman said. "I think we took advantage of that."
In the second half, Spain's usually rock solid defence crumbled in the face of wave after wave of Dutch attacks, many starting off of long passes from defenders.
Veteran goalie Iker Casillas shouldered the blame.
Van Gaal always insisted his five-man defence wasn't as negative as it sounded, and he was proved right.
Left back Daley Blind surged forward to provide two pin-point accurate passes for assists - Van Persie's header and Arjen Robben's first goal. Center back Stefan de Vrij, who caused the penalty that gave Spain the lead, cropped up at the other end of the pitch to push in Wesley Sneijder's free kick for de Vrij's first international score.
Even Van Gaal was stunned by the margin of victory.
Fitness also appeared to play a role in Spain's second-half collapse. While the veteran Spanish players tired, the Dutch still looked fresh despite the humidity at the Arena Fonte Nova.