Netherlands coach Louis Van Gaal locked horns with Dutch journalists after they said the Orange Machine's 2-0 World Cup win over Qatar was too dull, even if it secured the team the top spot in Group A.

"We got into the next phase — the most important part of the tournament — with positivity. We did what we needed to do. We are the group winner," Van Gaal told a news conference.

As one reporter after another criticized the Netherlands' performance against a lowly Qatar — playing in its first World Cup only by virtue of being the tournament host — the former Manchester United and Barcelona manager hit back.