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.