Netherlands vs. Latvia: Winners and Losers from Euro 2016 Qualifier
The Netherlands clicked into gear on Sunday evening, thrashing Latvia 6-0 at the Amsterdam ArenA and reviving their Euro qualification hopes in the process.
Robin van Persie, Bruma, Klaas-Jan Huntelaar and Ibrahim Afellay all played superbly, while Arjen Robben took the Man of the Match crown.
Here, Bleacher Report picks its winners and losers from a very one-sided affair.
Winner: Guus Hiddink, Who Doesn't Have to Resign
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Guus Hiddink warned before the game that he would quit if his side failed to beat Latvia. While it was partly a stake in his confidence in the side, it was also a grim reminder of the woeful qualifying campaign so far.
The good news for Hiddink is that he's still in a job. The Netherlands blitzed Latvia as expected, and he will turn his attentions to Turkey at home next March.
He also aced the game tactically, playing Robin van Persie and Klaas-Jan Huntelaar together and seeing them excel.
Loser: Louis van Gaal, Who Faces Another Injury
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As a Dutchman, Louis van Gaal will have been watching this game with vested interest. He'll also have been keeping an eye on Daley Blind, who he manages at the club level.
Unbelievably, Blind went down after 20 minutes with a knee injury and was substituted off for Jordy Clasie. It's approximately the 7,656th injury Manchester United have sustained this season.
"It doesn't look good. It's his medial ligament," Hiddink said of Blind, per Goal.com. "It could be a strain, but it could also be a tear. So that's a big blow."
Van Gaal will be praying the diagnosis is not bad. Knees are tricky, but Blind did not require a stretcher to leave the pitch.
Winner: Robin van Persie, Who Impressed Under Pressure
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Recently, Robin van Persie has been feeling the heat from the Dutch public, with many calling for Klaas-Jan Huntelaar to start in his place.
That's exactly what happened for the defeat to Mexico, with Huntelaar lacking sharpness but performing well tactically. They started together against a weak Latvia side and, it must be said, played brilliantly in tandem with each other.
Operating out of a base 4-4-2/4-4-1-1, KJH and RVP scored a goal each and stitched the attack together with consummate ease.
Losers: Kaspar Gorkss and Aleskandrs Fertovs, Who Look No Closer to Work
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It's rare to see out-of-work football players turning out for their countries—it typically speaks to a largely unseen lack of quality available—but that's what happened here.
Kaspar Gorkss and Aleskandrs Fertovs both started for Latvia despite technically being unemployed on a day-to-day basis, and unfortunately, they did little to advance their causes.
Gorkss struggled with Klaas-Jan Huntelaar and completely lost Robin van Persie for the opener. Fertovs, a midfielder, watched Wesley Sneijder and co. dance past him multiple times with ease.
Winner: Ibrahim Afellay, Who Continues His Resurgence
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The world was once at Ibrahim Afellay's feet, but cruel injuries ruined a seemingly burgeoning career, wrecking the Dutchman's stint at Barcelona.
He's fought hard to return to a strong level and is playing a thorough role for his nation under Guus Hiddink. Grabbing the start on the left here, he hit the post inside three minutes and wreaked havoc throughout.
It was his low cross that saw Klaas-Jan Huntelaar score the third goal.
