World Cup 2014 Group B: Spain 1-5 Netherlands
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The Netherlands produced a devastating display of counter-attacking football to earn an incredible 5-1 win over defending champions Spain on Friday at the Arena Fonte Nova in Salvador.
Spain opened the scoring after 26 minutes when Diego Costa was fouled in the box by Stefan de Vrij with Xabi Alonso coolly converting from the spot.
But the Dutch drew level just before half-time as Robin van Persie arched his back and neck at the edge of the area to head Daley Blind's hanging cross high over the helpless Iker Casillas.
After half-time, the Oranje took the lead after Blind played another wonderful ball over the Spanish defence towards Arjen Robben, who controlled perfectly and kept his composure before firing past Casillas.
Things went from bad to worse for the Spaniards when Casillas flapped at a routine ball under pressure from van Persie, with de Vrij on hand to bundle home at the far post.
Unbelievably, Casillas' nights then got even worse as the Spain captain catastrophically gifted possession to van Persie and the Dutch striker prodded the ball into an empty net.
The demolition job continued when Robben danced through the back line, leaving both Sergio Ramos and Casillas for dead, to selfishly lash the ball home with his left foot.
"That's sport," Del Bosque told the media after the match. "We have to accept defeat. We have to admit that they were better.
"It's a delicate moment for us, but we have to solve it."
Dutch coach Louis van Gaal said: "If van Persie wouldn't have scored the 1-1 before half-time, I would've switched back to the 4-3-3 formation.
"If I played with three attackers, my wingers would have chased down the Spain backs too much, that would be a waste.
"I played this system because I believe that we are not good enough to beat Spain with our normal 4-3-3 formation."
Lineups:
Spain: Iker Casillas; César Azpilicueta, Gerard Piqué, Sergio Ramos, Jordi Alba; Xavi, Sergio Busquets, Xabi Alonso (Pedro 73); David Silva (Cesc Fàbregas 78), Diego Costa (Fernando Torres 63), Andrés Iniesta
Netherlands: Jasper Cillessen; Daryl Janmaat, Stefan de Vrij (Joël Veltman 77), Ron Vlaar, Bruno Martins Indi, Daley Blind; Jonathan de Guzmán (Georginio Wijnaldum 62), Wesley Sneijder, Nigel de Jong; Robin van Persie (Jeremain Lens 79), Arjen Robben
Spain opened the scoring after 26 minutes when Diego Costa was fouled in the box by Stefan de Vrij with Xabi Alonso coolly converting from the spot.
But the Dutch drew level just before half-time as Robin van Persie arched his back and neck at the edge of the area to head Daley Blind's hanging cross high over the helpless Iker Casillas.
After half-time, the Oranje took the lead after Blind played another wonderful ball over the Spanish defence towards Arjen Robben, who controlled perfectly and kept his composure before firing past Casillas.
Things went from bad to worse for the Spaniards when Casillas flapped at a routine ball under pressure from van Persie, with de Vrij on hand to bundle home at the far post.
Unbelievably, Casillas' nights then got even worse as the Spain captain catastrophically gifted possession to van Persie and the Dutch striker prodded the ball into an empty net.
The demolition job continued when Robben danced through the back line, leaving both Sergio Ramos and Casillas for dead, to selfishly lash the ball home with his left foot.
"That's sport," Del Bosque told the media after the match. "We have to accept defeat. We have to admit that they were better.
"It's a delicate moment for us, but we have to solve it."
Dutch coach Louis van Gaal said: "If van Persie wouldn't have scored the 1-1 before half-time, I would've switched back to the 4-3-3 formation.
"If I played with three attackers, my wingers would have chased down the Spain backs too much, that would be a waste.
"I played this system because I believe that we are not good enough to beat Spain with our normal 4-3-3 formation."
Lineups:
Spain: Iker Casillas; César Azpilicueta, Gerard Piqué, Sergio Ramos, Jordi Alba; Xavi, Sergio Busquets, Xabi Alonso (Pedro 73); David Silva (Cesc Fàbregas 78), Diego Costa (Fernando Torres 63), Andrés Iniesta
Netherlands: Jasper Cillessen; Daryl Janmaat, Stefan de Vrij (Joël Veltman 77), Ron Vlaar, Bruno Martins Indi, Daley Blind; Jonathan de Guzmán (Georginio Wijnaldum 62), Wesley Sneijder, Nigel de Jong; Robin van Persie (Jeremain Lens 79), Arjen Robben
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