Dear God …What Happened To Spain?

 

Well done,,. ,we'll tear EPL apart!

With Casillas, Azpicueta, Alba, Pique, Ramos …Busquets, Xavi, Alonso, Iniesta,Sila…Diego Costa; no one that follows the beautiful game would say this was not a formidable force. And La Furia Rojas certainly were from how they went about the business in the first 45 minutes. For the first ten minutes, the game was more or less a yoo-yoo with the Orange men’s counter attacking intent well-hinted from the off.

But the defending Champions then took over, characteristically passing and pricing the Dutch defense open intermittently. Costa, playing his first World Cup finals match, brought a variety and a pointed threat that hitherto was missing in recent Spanish side that had glorified False 9 as a potent weapon. It was the Chelsea-bound striker that was appended for a deserved penalty mid way through the half. Alonso made no mistake and the Orange men truly struggled to limit the damage…and just as well for just few seconds after a delicate Silva chip, after Spain had masterfully seen another clear sight on goal, was smartly saved by the Dutch keeper, Robin van Persie leaped like a Kangaroo to score an incredible header virtually from nothing!

 

Indeed flying Dutchman!

I bet, only Spaniards did not stand to applaud such acrobatic display of vision, tenacity and precision, aided by Casillas positioning off his line. The half-time whistle sounded soon after and Spain would go for the break feeling hard done and rightly too.

The second half was completely a different ball game. The Orange gang snuffed out every space and the pitch suddenly became too narrow for the crisp-like dribbles and runs Iniesta exhibited with telling effect in the first half. Xavi’s passing range suddenly shortened and Costa became a sorry figure in isolation. Having made certain, the Dutch then opened the taps…goals after goals after goals that embarrassed the daylights out of world class Casillas and the usually solid duo of Pique and Ramos.

Beating Spain is one thing, routing them 5 -1 in one match is something unimaginable! Just think that Casillas conceded more goals in that match more than he concede while La Furia Rojas won the last two big tournaments of Euro nations Cup and World Cup combined! That is how bad but it wasn’t all Casillas’ fault. Holland were full value for money. Van Persie and Arjen Robben were on fire while Loius van Gaal’s tactics was masterclass. Man U would really be drooling they got the real man for the job.

Is Spain finished by this pathetic display? Not yet…one swallow doesn’t really make a summer. Though not this scandalously, they lost their first match to Switzerland in South Africa and history is very accurate with what eventually followed. They still have the players to get themselves into second round…though Chile is a team others must handle with respect at this Mundial.

Is Holland looking like potential Champions? Not with just one match! They played almost faultlessly in that second half but we haven’t seen Germany yet neither Argentina…Italy always will have a say and of course, Nigeria isn’t there for fun. And then, despite some officiating favours against Croatia, Brazil is solid.

But one thing is now very clear…if the 2014 World Cup hadn’t started for some, it certainly did with the Spain-Holland match. We may not get to see any other match with so much action and goals at the tournament.

Oh, did Cameroun play yesterday? For once, I watched a Camerounian side play without their usual strength and ruggedness. Mexico tore them apart and deservedly grabbed all points. But for poor calls, at least one of the Mexicans’ disallowed goals would have stood. Can this African side pick up to grab qualification in a Group that has a Brazil that seems untouchables in the eyes of the officials? Your guess is as good as mine!