Defending champs humiliated as Dutch exact revenge
SALVADOR, Brazil — On the final goal — to complete the humiliation and stick the steeltoed boot in one final, excruciating time — as Arjen Robben led Iker Casillas a merry chase over the Arena Fonte Nova penalty area, he looked like an old man down on his knees who’d dropped his car keys in the dark. Saint Iker, defrocked. Spain, exposed. Holland has exacted its World Cup revenge four years on — and how — laying a murderous 5- 1 caning on their reigning champions. There was nothing remotely familiar about Friday’s Spain. The back line, particularly Shakira’s squeeze Gerard Pique and the normally- dynamic Sergio Ramos, was eviscerated. Once the demolition got going, the men at the control centre of the greatest international side in modern history, Xavi and Andres Iniesta, were helpless to staunch the bleeding and alter the course of events. Hard man Xabi Alonso converted a penalty, yet failed to impose his will.
But at the epicentre of the carnage stood Casillas, like a guy stumbling out of a car wreck. For so long rated the world’s best with a set of gloves, he was at full or partial fault on four of the five goals. Caught in no man’s land on Robin van Persie’s looping header, flapping badly on a punch that defender Stefan de Vrij nodded in at the back post, basically handed RvP a second hand by mishandling the ball and then run ragged by the energetic Robben.
Replaced as No. 1 at Madrid, a club dear to his heart, by Diego Lopez, starting but two of 38 La Liga matches, it’s been a rough year for Casillas. With the national team, though, for Vicente del Bosque, he remained supreme.
Well, that loyalty will be sorely tested now.
“There are small details that tip the balance,” admitted a crestfallen Iniesta. “But it was difficult for us tonight. We are prepared for whatever comes. We’ll do our work, but we won’t forget about this.”
Neither will the other 31 teams at this tournament.
The danger signs should have been clear for all to see during last summer’s Confederations Cup finale when Brazil bully- boyed them 3- 0. People assumed it was only a blip on the radar screen.
“That’s sport,” Del Bosque told reporters after the game. “We have to accept defeat. They were better than us in the second half. We have to admit that they were better.”