Eviscerated and humiliated, this was pure pain for Spain. It was revenge, remarkable revenge, for Netherlands, made all the more unlikely by the first 40 minutes.
A rematch of the 2010 World Cup final looked like being a repeat when Spain were leading 1-0. Then came an extraordinary comeback. Spain, winners of three consecutive major tournaments, were not just defeated, but destroyed.
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They lost their opening game in 2010, but that defeat to Switzerland was nothing like this. Very few games are. Now the holders are in grave danger of going out in the group. Having capitulated, they could be eliminated.
The bare facts are that Iker Casillas had not conceded in 476 minutes of World Cup football, then found his goal breached five times. The first was brilliant, the fourth bizarre and indicative of Spain's meltdown, but Robin van Persie scored both. Arjen Robben, too, struck twice in a display of Dutch mastery.
This was a triumph for Louis van Gaal's counter-attacking tactics and for his captain, whose equaliser was an early contender for the goal-of-the-tournament award. Van Persie the flying Dutchman took off to head in from 16 yards. He, Robben and Wesley Sneijder formed a golden triangle for Netherlands. Iker Casillas, Gerard Pique and Sergio Ramos looked a decidedly fallible defensive trio for Spain.
There was a predictable pattern of Spanish possession. Ultimately Dutch incision on the break proved decisive, but not before they trailed. Xabi Alonso drilled his penalty under Jasper Cillessen after Stefan de Vrij caught Diego Costa. If the semi-fit striker justified his surprise selection then, he could have been dismissed later for a headbutt, albeit a tame one, on Bruno Martins Indi.
Behind him, Spain's rotating cast of inventors probed for an opening. Andres Iniesta found one with an exquisite ball for David Silva, whose attempt to chip Cillessen failed. Eighty seconds later, the cost of the miss was apparent as an airborne Van Persie levelled
Daley Blind's diagonal ball from the half-way line was met by Van Persie with an extraordinary diving header that looped over Casillas and in.
The left wing-back was pivotal when Netherlands took the lead. He chipped a pass to Robben, who spun away from Gerard Pique and unleashed a shot that, unlike his effort in the 2010 final, flew past Casillas. Robben, another of Netherlands's marquee players, was magnificent.
After Van Persie struck a half-volley against the bar, the third of them made his most telling contribution. Wesley Sneijder, who had missed a golden chance in the opening minutes, delivered a free kick. De Vrij headed it in at the far post while Spain complained that Van Persie had fouled Casillas.
His protests brought the goalkeeper a caution. Unsettled, he then erred, allowing Van Persie to dispossess him and slot in the fourth. Then Robben sprinted clear from the half-way line to make it five. It could have been 10. It felt like a result to bring down the curtain on an era, to spell the end of the dominance of Spain and tiki-taka.
Man of the Match: Arjen Robben – It required a superb performance simply to see off competition from Van Persie. The devastating Robben provided it. What a player.
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The years Ramadan fell in May
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Expo details
Expo 2020 Dubai will be the first World Expo to be held in the Middle East, Africa and South Asia
The world fair will run for six months from October 20, 2020 to April 10, 2021.
It is expected to attract 25 million visits
Some 70 per cent visitors are projected to come from outside the UAE, the largest proportion of international visitors in the 167-year history of World Expos.
More than 30,000 volunteers are required for Expo 2020
The site covers a total of 4.38 sqkm, including a 2 sqkm gated area
It is located adjacent to Al Maktoum International Airport in Dubai South
The specs: 2018 Mercedes-Benz S 450
Price, base / as tested Dh525,000 / Dh559,000
Engine: 3.0L V6 biturbo
Transmission: Nine-speed automatic
Power: 369hp at 5,500rpm
Torque: 500Nm at 1,800rpm
Fuel economy, combined: 8.0L / 100km
THE SPECS
Engine: 6.75-litre twin-turbocharged V12 petrol engine
Power: 420kW
Torque: 780Nm
Transmission: 8-speed automatic
Price: From Dh1,350,000
On sale: Available for preorder now
Mina Cup winners
Under 12 – Minerva Academy
Under 14 – Unam Pumas
Under 16 – Fursan Hispania
Under 18 – Madenat
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JOKE'S%20ON%20YOU
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The Brutalist
Director: Brady Corbet
Stars: Adrien Brody, Felicity Jones, Guy Pearce, Joe Alwyn
Rating: 3.5/5
The specs
Engine: 3.0-litre six-cylinder turbo
Power: 398hp from 5,250rpm
Torque: 580Nm at 1,900-4,800rpm
Transmission: Eight-speed auto
Fuel economy, combined: 6.5L/100km
On sale: December
Price: From Dh330,000 (estimate)
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UPI facts
More than 2.2 million Indian tourists arrived in UAE in 2023
More than 3.5 million Indians reside in UAE
Indian tourists can make purchases in UAE using rupee accounts in India through QR-code-based UPI real-time payment systems
Indian residents in UAE can use their non-resident NRO and NRE accounts held in Indian banks linked to a UAE mobile number for UPI transactions
Analysis
Members of Syria's Alawite minority community face threat in their heartland after one of the deadliest days in country’s recent history. Read more
Tell-tale signs of burnout
- loss of confidence and appetite
- irritability and emotional outbursts
- sadness
- persistent physical ailments such as headaches, frequent infections and fatigue
- substance abuse, such as smoking or drinking more
- impaired judgement
- excessive and continuous worrying
- irregular sleep patterns
Tips to help overcome burnout
Acknowledge how you are feeling by listening to your warning signs. Set boundaries and learn to say ‘no’
Do activities that you want to do as well as things you have to do
Undertake at least 30 minutes of exercise per day. It releases an abundance of feel-good hormones
Find your form of relaxation and make time for it each day e.g. soothing music, reading or mindful meditation
Sleep and wake at the same time every day, even if your sleep pattern was disrupted. Without enough sleep condition such as stress, anxiety and depression can thrive.
HOW%20TO%20ACTIVATE%20THE%20GEMINI%20SHORTCUT%20ON%20CHROME%20CANARY
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Europe’s rearming plan
- Suspend strict budget rules to allow member countries to step up defence spending
- Create new "instrument" providing €150 billion of loans to member countries for defence investment
- Use the existing EU budget to direct more funds towards defence-related investment
- Engage the bloc's European Investment Bank to drop limits on lending to defence firms
- Create a savings and investments union to help companies access capital