Expecting a draw in this game I was not surprised with the victory for the Dutch. However the scoreline was unimaginable. The dutch were criticized for the way they played the 2010 world cup final but they made up for it. Earlier in the first half it seemed like going the old way but after the first fifteen minutes both team got settled. Spain though were dominant from that point but what the dutch did well was that they did not just sit back and defend. When they had the possession they did create problem in the Spanish penalty box.
The goal did help Spain but it was sorry to see another player diving to earn a penalty.We saw UEFA having an official near the penalty boxes in the champions league to guide the referee. I don't know if having another official would have helped avoid that penalty but maybe FIFA could have taken a chance. In the end it did not matter much. Even after Spain scored the dutch did not lose their way. In fact they kept on pressing for that equalizer that they managed to achieve courtesy of individual brilliance from Van Persie.
Second half was completely different. What we saw was two teams trying to get maximum points from the match and in the process the dutch were taking the game back to the Spanish. So what went right for the Dutch? It will be easier to say what went right for Dutch than to say what went wrong for the Spaniards. The answer is simple. The best way to play Spain is to attack them. Perhaps it took the dutch some time to find out how some teams took that approach against Barcelona and that paid off. The same was evident against Brazil in the confederations cup final and Del Bosque might have missed a trick or two after Brazil final. Soon after scoring their second goal the Dutch gradually increased their confidence and went for an all out attack. Attacking football was at its very best and once the third goal went in Spain knew what was on the cards for them. By the time Del Bosque reacted with his substitutions it was all over. It was not as if Spain played really badly to lose by that scoreline but somehow cannot justify their second half performances.
Diego Costa the main talking point before the world cup and the match flopped brilliantly. He might be wondering about his allegiance switch. Still remember his first game for Spain when he struggled to adapt with the style and don't be surprised to see him on the bench for the next match. In the end it was Spain's biggest defeat in tournaments which raises serious questions on whether they are capable of bouncing back after such a big defeat. Let's wait and see if they make a comeback and those are qualities expected from world champions. They must introspect what went wrong because time is running out quickly and it doesn't get easier from now on.
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The goal did help Spain but it was sorry to see another player diving to earn a penalty.We saw UEFA having an official near the penalty boxes in the champions league to guide the referee. I don't know if having another official would have helped avoid that penalty but maybe FIFA could have taken a chance. In the end it did not matter much. Even after Spain scored the dutch did not lose their way. In fact they kept on pressing for that equalizer that they managed to achieve courtesy of individual brilliance from Van Persie.
Second half was completely different. What we saw was two teams trying to get maximum points from the match and in the process the dutch were taking the game back to the Spanish. So what went right for the Dutch? It will be easier to say what went right for Dutch than to say what went wrong for the Spaniards. The answer is simple. The best way to play Spain is to attack them. Perhaps it took the dutch some time to find out how some teams took that approach against Barcelona and that paid off. The same was evident against Brazil in the confederations cup final and Del Bosque might have missed a trick or two after Brazil final. Soon after scoring their second goal the Dutch gradually increased their confidence and went for an all out attack. Attacking football was at its very best and once the third goal went in Spain knew what was on the cards for them. By the time Del Bosque reacted with his substitutions it was all over. It was not as if Spain played really badly to lose by that scoreline but somehow cannot justify their second half performances.
Diego Costa the main talking point before the world cup and the match flopped brilliantly. He might be wondering about his allegiance switch. Still remember his first game for Spain when he struggled to adapt with the style and don't be surprised to see him on the bench for the next match. In the end it was Spain's biggest defeat in tournaments which raises serious questions on whether they are capable of bouncing back after such a big defeat. Let's wait and see if they make a comeback and those are qualities expected from world champions. They must introspect what went wrong because time is running out quickly and it doesn't get easier from now on.
Keep Smiling
Playmaker
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