Having arrived in Brazil with designs on retaining the title they won at South Africa 2010, Vicente del Bosque’s Spain were given a rude awakening on their tournament debut on Friday evening, going down to a 5-1 defeat to the Netherlands.

The fifth occasion on which the reigning world champions have begun their defence with a loss, Spain’s shock setback in Salvador de Bahía has left them with little margin for error in their remaining group games against Chile and Australia. Four years ago Spain also started losing, but World Champions have a quality team capable of changing things round in next contest with Chile and Australia.

The World Cup started for Spain scoring first goal of the game, after a Diego Costa penalty saw Xabi Alonso put the Cup holders in front a half-hour in, but minutes before halftime, a Dutch equalizer came out of nowhere. A simple diagonal from fullback Daley Blind beat Spain's back line.

With a step on, the Netherlands' Van Persie laid out to produce a diving header from the top of the box that floated over Iker Casillas and into the goal to make it 1-1.

At that point, though, the Spanish were feeling good. To that point they'd enjoyed more than 60% possession, the Dutch struggling to hang on. But after the break, roles reversed.

Another ball over the top split Spain's central pairing again in the 54th-minute, allowing Robben to break a tackle before putting the Dutch in front.

The Netherlands added another controversial goal from a corner just after the hour mark, when Stefan De Vrij rose to meet the floated ball at the back post. It happened just after Casillas was fouled on the area by Robin Van Persie.

Van Persie scored a fourth to the Dutch cause in the 74th when he jumped on a poor touch from Casillas to score his second of the game. Finally Robben scored fifth alone in front of goal, the Dutchman undressed Casillas before adding to Spain's four-goal defeat.

Spain were lacklustre and they must now beat Chile in their next game to avoid a group-stage elimination in Brazil.


- Match stats:

Spain: Casillas; Azpilicueta, Ramos, Piqué, Jordi Alba; Busquets, Xabi Alonso (Pedro 62’), Xavi; Silva (Fábregas 78’), Iniesta, Diego Costa (Torres 62’).

Netherlands: Cillessen; Janmaat, De Vrij (Veltman 77’), Vlaar, Martins Indi, Blind; De Jong, De Guzmán (61’ Wijnaldum), Sneijder; Robben, Van Persie (Lens 79’).

Bookings: De Guzman 25’, De Vrij 40’. Van Persie 66’, Casillas 69’,

Goals:

1-0 (27’) Xabi Alonso.
1-1 (44’) Van Persie.
1-2 (52’) Robben.
1-3 (64’) Vrij.
1-4 (71’) Van Persie.
1-5 (80’) Robben.