Sporting Advent Calendar #18: Masterful Dutch end Spain’s reign

Spain 1 Netherlands 5, June 13th, 2014

Many might forget and few will care how this one actually played out, but there wasn’t much brewing for the Dutch before Robin van Persie flung himself like a salmon up the Yukon and spawned an unlikely result.

After Xabi Alonso’s 25th minute penalty, Spain could have had a few more, with David Silva particularly guilty, and RVP’s 44th minute leveller from Daley Blind’s sumptuous pass didn’t really do much to convince anyone the defending world champions were about to get slapped.

But after the break the Dutch took just eight minutes to expose fragility in the aging Spanish squad. Blind again bisected the centre-backs. Robben’s touch killed it, Ramos was awol, Pique was weak and Casillas was beaten.

The celebrations, as much as the goals, seemed to suck the life from Spain; Van Persie’s emphatic sprint to Louis van Gaal and their slightly awkward high five before Robben reeled back around the net and slid on his knees before the Dutch support.

The Spaniards were broken. None more so than Casillas, who was bullied (ok, fouled) by Van Persie 11 minutes later and allowed Wesley Sneijder’s free-kick travel all the way to De Vrij at the backpost. The great goalkeeper’s clumsy touch then invited Van Persie to pounce and poke home the fourth. Robben then made Ramos look static when racing away from the defender with that T1000 sprint of his before causing Casillas to scramble behind him on all fours, flailing in desperation before the final humiliation.

The result, on just the second day, shook the tournament into life and deeply scarred the dominant force in world football. Chile took advantage in the next game, winning 2-0. There was no respite in the win over Australia.

Game over for Spain before it had really begun.