SALVADOR,
Brazil — Sitting on the bench, worrying that history might be repeated
at his team’s expense, Dirk Kuyt, the D
utch reserve forward, had a
perfect view of a goal that energized a nation and a tournament with its
daring and flair.
The
Netherlands was losing at the time, 1-0, the identical score of its
loss to Spain at the 2010 World Cup final in Johannesburg. But four
years and 44 minutes later, Robin van Persie took a step inside the
18-yard box at the glistening new Arena Fonte Nova, and went airborne to
redirect a searching 40-yard pass from Daley Blind with stunning
agility.
Iker
Casillas, the Spanish goalkeeper who had shut out the Dutch over 120
minutes four years before, was coming out at him, and van Persie knew
that his best chance to score was not to head the ball down, as players
are often taught, but to give it some lift, allowing it to float over
the head of a stunned Casillas and into the back of the net.
Just
moments before, Spain missed an opportunity to go up by two goals. But
with a minute to spare before halftime, van Persie’s gem, the first of
two goals by him, gave the Netherlands a jolt that they rode to a
shocking 5-1 victory over Spain, the staggered defending champions.
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“In
his life, he has done amazing things,” Kuyt said of van Persie. “But to
score this goal for his country was very special. It was an amazing
pass and an even better finish. It’s a great start to the tournament,
two goals against the world champion. It is amazing for him and it is
amazing for the team. Hopefully, this is the start of a great
tournament.”
It
was a result as surprising as it was emphatic. Few could have predicted
such a lopsided win for the 2010 runners-up, not even the thousands of
orange-wearing fans of the Netherlands who roared in delight with each
goal on this wet and steamy evening.
Certainly,
the Dutch would have preferred this result to come four years ago in
South Africa, when it would have meant a world championship. For now,
they will be satisfied by taking a huge advantage in Group B, where
finishing at the top could mean avoiding Brazil in the first round of
the knockout stage.
For
Spain, which was ragged and confused, especially on defense, the loss
will reinforce speculation about the demise of its record-setting
dominance in international play, a supremacy built with a World Cup
sandwiched between two European championships.
But
on Friday, the Spaniards played like a third-tier soccer nation, making
pitiful mistakes at the back as the Dutch ran roughshod. In addition to
van Persie’s two goals, Arjen Robben, the Netherlands’ fiendish
dribbling marksman, scored two and Stefan de Vrij one.
“I
don’t have words to explain it,” Spain’s coach, Vicente Del Bosque,
said. “We’ve never been a very defensive team, but we were very weak. We
didn’t recognize the ability of van Persie and Robben. We didn’t react
properly. They played euphoric, and they hammered us.”
The
four-goal margin of defeat was the largest for a defending champion,
and Spain had not conceded five goals since 1963 when they lost to
Scotland, 6-2. The only other time they let in at least five goals in
the World Cup was in Brazil in 1950 when they lost to the hosts, 6-1.
Diego
Costa, the Brazilian-born center forward, started for Spain and heard
loud boos and crude chants for his decision to spurn Brazil and play for
Spain. He was tripped in the box in the 27th minute, and Spain took a
lead when Xabi Alonso converted the penalty.
But
then Blind and van Persie linked up for the goal of the tournament so
far. Blind, the Ajax defender, also made the long precision pass to
Robben in the 53rd minute that gave the Netherlands the lead. He sent a
long ball from the left flank to Robben, whose brilliant first touch,
and masterful second touch, sent two Spanish defenders, including Gerard
Piqué, and Casillas the wrong way, allowing Robben to drill the ball
into the back of the net with his thunderous left foot.
For
many Dutch fans, the goal, especially the way Robben collected the long
ball with one guileful touch, was reminiscent of Dennis Bergkamp’s
brilliant goal for the Netherlands in the 1998 World Cup.
“It is very sad,” Piqué said, “but now we have to regroup and prepare for the next game.”
In
the 65th minute, de Vrij headed downward off a free kick to give the
Netherlands a 3-1 advantage, and seven minutes later Casillas fumbled a
back pass. Van Persie pounced on the mistake and slotted home his 10th
goal in his last nine appearances for the Netherlands.
In
the 80th minute, Robben scored again, and the Dutch bench, including
Kuyt, ran out to greet him, throwing water bottles in the air in
celebration.
“It
was an amazing first match,” Kuyt said. “There was never an opening
match where the world champion lost, 5-1. It was an incredible
performance, but it’s the first match.”
Spain currently sit bottom of Group B after receiving a sound thrashing during their opening World Cup match. Vicente 
