Van Persie performance delights Van Gaal

Netherlands coach Louis van Gaal has praised Robin van Persie after the striker scored twice to help his side to a 4-0 win over Romania.

The Manchester United star’s double, sandwiched between Rafael van der Vaart and Jeremain Lens strikes, took him above Johan Cruyff’s tally of 33 goals in a Netherlands shirt.

Van Gaal was full of praise for van Persie after the win, which helped the Dutch move seven points clear atop Group D.

“Van Persie was very unlucky in the first half but in the second half he was actually very happy, because he made an incredible, world class goal,” van Gaal told Voetbal International.

“It was a ball that he could barely head, but he deliberately hit it into the top corner. And he also put the penalty well inside (the goal).

“He was also a great target man, as you saw in his first goal. And van der Vaart put his shot in flawlessly. Lens was involved in two goals. And I haven’t even talked about the defensive organisation.”

Van Gaal hailed the performance as the best his team have produced since he took over for a second time in July 2012.

“I thought it was the best match (the team has played) in this period under me,” he said.

“We were only sloppy in the third quarter, but Romania created only one chance … beyond that quarter we did what we had agreed. And behold the result.

“We have taken more steps (forward) and we have to believe in ourselves … we are on our way to our seats for the World Cup in Brazil, but for now we are not there yet.”