Mexico outclass sorry Cameroon 47 SATURDAY, JUNE 14, 2014 SATURDAY, SportsSports Superb Dutch humiliate Spain

RIO DE JANEIRO: and scored twice each as cious three points for Miguel the Netherlands avenged their 2010 World Cup final defeat to Spain with a Herrera’s side. But the main record 5-1 drubbing of the defending champions yesterday. Van Persie talking point after the game pounced in each half as the Dutch recovered from a controversial was Colombian referee penalty to inflict a crushing defeat on the reigning kings of world and Wilmar Roldan who chalked European football. Stefan De Vrij got the Netherlands’ other goal as Spain off what looked like two slumped to the heaviest defeat ever inflicted at a World Cup on the reigning valid Mexico goals in the champions. first half. “The referee has It was Spain’s worst defeat in more taken two goals off us but than half a century, coming 51 years we go away with three Netherlands' Spain's goalkeeper Arjen Robben after a 6-2 defeat to Scotland in points and in top spir- 1963. Thousands of fans gathered its,” Mexico coach in Madrid to watch the game on Miguel Herrera said. giant screens were left stunned into Football chiefs silence by the rout. The extraordi- have introduced the nary Group B drama in the northern use of goal-line tech- Brazilian coastal city of Salvador has nology at this potentially turned the World Cup per- World Cup, anx- mutations on their head. If Spain fail to ious to avoid a recover the form which saw them win repeat of the back-to-back European titles either fiasco at the 2010 tour- side of their 2010 World Cup triumph, nament when they could conceivably crash out in England’s Frank the first round, or face a daunting Lampard saw a clash with Brazil in the last 16. legitimate goal not given in his The walloping eclipsed more refer- team’s last 16 match with eeing controversies on the second day Germany. FIFA President Sepp of competition. FIFA officials earlier Blatter said earlier this week the defended Japanese referee Yuichi use of technology should be tak- Nishimura after he awarded Brazil a bit- en further, suggesting the intro- terly contested penalty in their open- duction of a possible video-replay ing game victory over Croatia. Referees based challenge system similar to chief Massimo Busacca insisted those used in other sports. However ref- Nishimura had been justified in erees chief Busacca said yesterday he was awarding the spot-kick after an unconvinced more technology was the alleged foul by Dejan Lovren on answer. “When the situation is clear 100 per- Brazilian striker Fred. “He had a very cent of course it (technology) can really help the refer- good position,” said Busacca, refer- ee to say ‘Yes, the player scored a goal by his hands’. ring to a photo of the incident But these situations are very rare,” Busacca said. In a which appeared to show Lovren’s separate controversy, the pitch in the Amazon city of hands making contact with Fred. Manaus due to host its first World Cup match when England “When he saw the hands doing play Italy there today is not up to the required standard, accord- something he makes it (the deci- ing to world players union FIFPro. There are large dry areas on the sion).” pitch and some of it has been spray painted green, according to But no sooner had referees reporters who have been to the stadium. Neither England nor Italy chief Busacca sprung to have officially complained ahead of the much-awaited Group D Nishimura’s defense then the game today. In yesterday’s other game in Group B saw Chile took on standard of officiating was Australia.— AFP again under scrutiny as Mexico took on Cameroon. Mexico’s Oribe Peralta scored the only goal of a rain-lashed Group A game in Natal, securing a pre-