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Spain lifts the World Cup
Published: 12 July, 2010, 01:29
Edited: 13 July, 2010, 19:10
Spanish players celebrate with the Trophy (AFP Photo / Roberto Schmidt)
TAGS: Sport, Football, World cup
Spain has become the eighth nation in history to raise the FIFA World Cup after a narrow 1-0 overtime win over The Netherlands in the final.
Vicente Del Bosque's men started like the favorites they were considered to be at Soccer City Stadium in Johannesburg, South Africa, testing the Dutch keeper after just 4 minutes of play. But Maarten Stekelenburg was able to reach the ball after a powerful header from Sergio Ramos and Gerard Pique lacked accuracy on the rebound.
The Netherlands needed around 20 minutes to push the game away from their goal, and they had to play rough in order to achieve this.
English referee Howard Webb showed five yellow cards in the first 45 minutes, two of them against Spain and three against their rivals. The most memorable yellow was received by Netherland's defender Nigel De Jong for a kung fu-style kick into Xabi Alonso's chest.
Bert Van Marwijk's charges waited until stoppage of the opening half to create their first big opportunity of the final. Dutch top man Arjen Robben forced Spanish goalie Iker Casillas to dive into his near corner to make sure the teams headed into the break at 0-0.
The Netherlands had a chance to take the lead in the 62nd minute. Wesley Sneijder's pass cut the Spanish defense, sending Robben on a rendezvous with Spain’s No. 1, but Casillas brilliantly saved his team with his foot.
Spain replied with David Villa’s shot from point plank, which was blocked, and a header from unmarked Sergio Ramos, which went over the bar.
The teams had to play 30 minutes of extra time, and it was only at the tail end that the drama unfolded. The Dutch squad went a man down with 10 minutes remaining when John Heitinga got his second yellow for stopping Andres Iniesta.
There were 14 yellow cards in all shown in the match, which made it the rudest final ever in World Cup history.
And in the 116th minute, Spain grabbed the golden goal. Del Bosque's substitute Cesc Fabregas collected the ball in the Dutch box and found Iniesta, who fired past Stekelenburg from close range to make it 1-0. And the Netherlands had too little time and strength to equalize.
Spain lifted the World Cup for the first time in their history, while the Dutch team has lost all three Mundial finals they have appeared in.
“We got the maximum result. It’s an outstanding achievement. I want to thank the players. They deserved this success. To whom would I dedicate this win? To my team,” Vicente Del Bosque, Spanish coach, told Marca newspaper after the final whistle.
And Del Bosque’s Dutch counterpart said the result of the match is fair.
“I’m disappointed. What other feelings can one have after a lost final? Of course, the Spaniards had more scoring chances, but in our team only Arjen Robben had to score twice. But nevertheless, I believe, Spain deserved this win,” Bert Van Marwijk, the Neatherlands coach, told Voetbal paper.
11.07.2010, 13:42
World Cup diary: New name on the World CupA new name will be engraved on the World Cup as the Netherlands take on European champs Spain, who are favorites to lift the trophy. |
12.07.2010, 13:44
World Cup diary: Thank you, South AfricaThe World Cup was an unforgettable month for many teams, but also an unforgettable one for South Africa, which it believes has justified FIFA’s decision to make it the first African nation to host the tournament. |
krka I think you are “beating a dead horse”! I have agreed with most of your points. Only, some of your points are not credible- such as Russia let deliberately Slovakia qualify to the world cup! There are certain basic instincts that corporations cannot always micro manage. Russia failed to qualify in the world cup because Russia players played terribly. I know there is strong passion for soccer in Russia but this passion needs to be translated into a winning formula. Russia needs to follow the German formula and invest heavily in youth sports development and in time these youth will make impact in football culture in Russia. Corporations manipulate our minds but also we play along. Africa did not benefit from these games in concrete immediate economic terms but this exposure grand exposure is good for millions upon millions of African kids. The opening ceremony featured Somali born Canadian hip-hop artist, Toronto raised Somalia born, K’Nanaan. He sings, among other things strong geopolitical issues including nuclear and industrial toxic dumping and illegal fishing against the people of Somalia. Millions of youth know about western ecological crimes against Somalia through K’Naaan’s music and billions more will know about it because K’Naan was a fixture in the Work Cup [i.e. his voice was used in the Coca-Cola ads during these games. Most Russians know only distorted views of the Piracy in Somalia through Russian media including RT. But perhaps now they may listen to K’Naan’s music and learn about noble people of Somalia and western crimes against this people and their ecology. So, ordinary people can use corporate sponsored world event to make crucial points.
PR101, What a show they performed for the public, in American Wrestle Mania style, as if it was for real, an outcome known much longer before the Cup started to suit business and political purposes. Soccer as big Propriety Limited Corporation does not conduct business on uncertainties and as any other times, this time was no exception. Why Holland was chosen to play in the final against the chosen one, it is just another big political maundering which comes from the top of the Pyramid, symbolising all mighty Global power centre handing out a gift to the subdued one. Any why, the desired outcome was achieved and the fans were alluded as if it was the real stuff. Human mind doesn’t distinguish the difference between the two anyway.
PR101, Regarding the match Russia losing against Slovenia in the qualifiers, I know exactly why it happened but I can’t say. The World game of football is under total European control which is a very big Pty Ltd company attracting as much fans around the Globe as possible and when the fans are hooked up to it, it is like a religion with a Pope as their head with more than a billion followers. The soccer religion is bigger than Catholic, Muslim or any other religion in the World and to satisfy the followers the Pope distributes the joy around the Planet as the situation requires. So, there isn’t any micro management but only subdued and appointed Cardinals around the World centres of football. What you say in your second paragraph you are completely right because through football religion the Pope influences any part of the World.