Fuming Dutch coach Marco van Basten hit out at the referee and "time-wasting" by Portugal after a World Cup defeat marked by 16 yellow cards and four dismissals.
Van Basten blamed the Russian referee and Portuguese trickery for the shambolic encounter that entered the record books as the dirtiest in World Cup history.
"I think it's a pity that in the second half very little football was played," he said.
"It's also a pity that a referee in such an important game should make decisions in this way so we won't be able to see enough football in the second half," van Basten said.
"Out of the 45 minutes we weren't able to play enough football," he said.
"Every minute there was a foul or the referee whistled, so we weren't able to play proper football. It's unfortunate," he said.
Van Basten said Portugal had deliberately tried to disrupt the game by claiming fouls and arguing with the referee.
"Portugal is an experienced opponent, I think that was the difference," he said.
"They were just a little bit more experienced with all these tricks and time-wasting. That was a pity," van Basten said.
His gamble in dropping first-choice striker Ruud van Nistelrooy failed to pay off with Dirk Kuyt unable to find the net despite good service from the wings.
Even late in the game, van Basten refused to bring on van Nistelrooy preferring to use PSV Eindhoven's Jan Vennegoor of Hesselink.
"With these small spaces it's difficult to play football, so that's the reason we brought on Jan Vennegoor of Hesselink instead," van Basten said.
RSS