[World Cup] Netherlands thrashes Spain 5-1 in World Cup opener

SALVADOR, Brazil (AP) – Louis van Gaal, one of the game's greatest coaches, was criticized before the World Cup for being too defensive for a nation that loves attacking play.

His decision to field five defenders against Spainthough, proved a masterstroke.

His team thrashed the defending world champions 5-1 Friday with a clinical display of counterattacking football that had Spain chasing shadows at the end as Dutch fans roared “Ole!” each time their team passed the ball.

“If you see how he prepared us, and how he predicted the game would go, and you see how it went - unbelievable,” said Robin van Persie whose stunning header to equalize just before half time turned the tide of the match and lit up social media accounts around the world. “It went exactly as the entire technical staff predicted.”

It was Spain's worst loss in the tournament since a 6-1 defeat to Brazil in 1950.

In the day's other matches, Chile beat Australia 3-1, leaving Spain at the bottom of Group B. In Group A, Mexico edged Cameroon 1-0 on a 61st-minute goal by Oribe Peralta to take second spot behind Brazil.

But it was the Dutch performance that shocked even casual fans on the second day of World Cup, showing why Manchester United was so keen to sign Van Gaal to rebuild the storied club.

Spain's goalkeeper Iker Casillas (R) reacts after Netherlands' forward Arjen Robben (back C) and Netherlands' midfielder Wesley Sneijder (L) celebrate after Robben scored his team's fifth goal during a Group B football match between Spain and the Netherlands at the Fonte Nova Arena in Salvador during the 2014 FIFA World Cup on June 13, 20. (AFP-Yonhap)

He starts work at Old Trafford when the Netherlands leave Brazil. If they keep playing this way, he could keep Manchester fans waiting until mid-July.

The 62-year-old Dutchman has a history of getting the best out of teams and blending youth with experience, taking Ajax to the Champions League title in 1995.

He is bidding to make the Netherlands world champions for the first time after losing three finals – including four years ago when Andres Iniesta's extra-time goal won it for Spain.

It wasn't shocking for the Dutch to get revenge for that loss, but the way they demolished Spain – the dominant world football power since 2008 – sent a signal that the run of this generation of Spanish stars may be coming to an end.

Spain, which won the last two European Championships and the 2010 World Cup, will probably have to beat Chile and Australia to qualify for the next round, where a likely date with favorite Brazil awaits.

In this combination of Associated Press photos Dutch soccer fans, top, pose for a photo inside the FIFA Fan Fest area on Copacabana beach in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, and Spanish soccer fans, bottom, in Madrid, watch on a giant display as the Netherlands defeat Spain during a World Cup soccer match Friday. (AP-Yonhap)