SALVADOR, Brazil -- The Netherlands thrashed the world champions 5-1 Friday in the World Cups first shocker, toying with an aging Spanish team that has dominated global football for the past six years and avenging a loss in the 2010 final. Although Spain could still advance out of the group stage, the game may have signalled the end of the run by a generation of Spanish stars whose quick passing, "tiki-taka" style delighted the world and helped them win the last three major tournaments. Dutch strikers Robin Van Persie and Arjen Robben both scored twice, including Van Persies diving header off of an audacious 40-yard pass. The ball looped over hapless Spanish goalkeeper Iker Casillas as Van Persie slid on his stomach on the wet grass before running to the sidelines with his fists clenched to celebrate what is sure to be one of the goals of the tournament. Defender Stefan de Vrij also scored -- his first international goal -- in a dominating second half that had the orange-clad Dutch fans in Arena Fonte Nova on their feet the whole time. It was the worst loss for Spain in the games showcase tournament since a 6-1 defeat to Brazil in 1950. "This was a total disaster," said Spain striker Fernando Torres. "We need to focus on winning the next game." The victory was particularly sweet for Netherlands coach Louis van Gaal, who was criticized for his decision to play five defenders. He insisted the formation had attacking potential as well as nullifying Spains fluent passing game. It did. And then some. Spains ball-control offence usually has other teams frustratingly trying to gain possession. This time, the Dutch fans were roaring "Ole" as their team passed the ball around and Spain chased them. Spain lost its first match in South Africa four years ago on its way to the title, and it could salvage tournament hopes with wins against Chile and Australia. But finishing second in the group, means facing the winner of Brazils group in a knockout game. Van Persie credited Van Gaals tactics of defending hard and firing long passes to Robben and himself. "We trained that way. And this is definitely down to him," the Manchester United striker said of the coach who will take over at his club next season. "If you see how he prepared us, and how he predicted the game would go, and you see how it went -- unbelievable." Van Gaal, in turn, highlighted his forwards performances. "With strikers like Van Persie, Robben and Sneijder behind them, things like this can happen," the coach said. It all started so well for Spain, with Xabi Alonso converting a 27th minute penalty. But it went downhill fast after Van Persie tied the game with a header shortly before half time. He connected with a perfectly weighted long pass by Daley Blind, one of a new generation of Dutch defenders flourishing under Van Gaal. "Unbelievable," Van Persie said. "For the whole Netherlands, this is a dream come true." The Dutch starting lineup included Toronto-born midfielder Jonathan de Guzman, who played 62 minutes and earned a yellow card before being substituted for Georginio Wijnaldum. Spain, which won the 2010 final thanks to an Andres Iniesta extra-time goal, exerted most of the pressure in the first half of the rematch. But they had no answer once the Dutch went ahead and continually hit them on the break. The final goal came after Robben weaved around Casillas -- who was crawling on the grass in desperation -- and fired into the untended net. His double was sweet revenge for Robben, who had a late chance saved by Casillas in the Johannesburg final and has struggled to live it down. It was tough keeping track of the second-half barrage of Dutch goals. Robben scored in the 53rd minute, reaching high to control another long ball from Blind, cutting inside Gerard Pique and firing past Casillas. De Vrij -- was called for the first-half penalty -- bundled home a Sneijder free kick at the far post 11 minutes later, and Van Persie scored his second in the 72nd in a clinical display of counterattacking football. Spain coach Vicente Del Bosque sat stony faced on his bench at full time, while Van Gaal walked onto the pitch to hug his players. "This is a very delicate moment for us, and all of us have to find a way to solve it," Del Bosque said. In addition to the 2010 world title, Spain won the 2008 and 2012 European championships. While Spain now has to regroup for its match against Chile on June 18, the Netherlands has to come back down to earth and then refocus for the next match, against Australia. "We dont have anything yet. Weve made a pretty start," Van Gaal said. "If you beat Australia, then youve made a good start." . You can watch all the action on TSN and TSN GO beginning at 8:30pm et/5:30pm pt. Minnesota dropped the first two tests of this best-of-seven set at Chicagos United Center and was outscored by a combined 9-3 margin in those setbacks. However, the Wild righted themselves at home by taking Game 3 by a 4-0 count before knotting the series at two games apiece with Fridays 4-2 triumph at Xcel Energy Center. .55 million euros (US$18.6 million) to Spanish tax authorities on Monday to cover any potential irregularities in its signing of Neymar, all the while maintaining its innocence of the fraud charges levied against it.
https://www.cheapwizardsonline.com/969k ... zards.html. Cleveland has won the first two of this set and has won six straight games since losing back-to-back tilts to open the year. Seattle, on the other hand, has now lost six in a row following consecutive wins to kick off its campaign. . Grimes signed a $32 million, four-year contract to remain with Miami. The deal, which includes $16 million guaranteed, rewards Grimes for his recovery from an Achilles tendon injury that forced him to miss almost all of the 2012 season. . You can catch all of the action LIVE on TSN2 at 6pm et/3pm pt. The Heat reached that mark Saturday night when they ruined the Philadelphia 76ers home opener.GREEN BAY, Wis. - The Green Bay Packers would like to push the pace.Most teams say theyre at their best when dictating tempo. But most teams dont have quarterback Aaron Rodgers operating the offence, or playmaking receivers such as Jordy Nelson and Randall Cobb, and running back Eddie Lacy.Rodgers has 25 touchdown passes. His six-touchdown outing in the first half of Green Bays 55-14 rout last week of Chicago earned him the NFC Offensive Player of the Week aaward.ddddddddddddThis week, the Packers face a team that also likes to go up-tempo in the Philadelphia Eagles. Chillier-than-normal temperatures expected for Sundays game likely wont alter the Packers plans.Coach Mike McCarthy said playing up-tempo is a good fit because it gets the ball in Rodgers hands as much as possible.___AP NFL website:
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