Spain crowned World Champions

FINAL



6:30 PM GMT, July 11, 2010
Soccer City Stadium, Johannesburg, South Africa



Final score - after extra time


Netherlands
0 - 1
Spain

In a game when a record number of yellow cards were given and John Heitinga was sent off in extra-time, both sides missed great chances from Arjen Robben and Cesc Fabregas, but Andres Iniesta netted in the 116th minute to give European champions Spain their first World Cup title.


Iniesta struck with four minutes remaining to settle a tetchy encounter and crown Spain world champions, while Netherlands were left to rue Robben's missed opportunity to open the scoring in normal time.


Iniesta pounced on a pass from Cesc Fabregas before thumping the ball past Maarten Stekelenburg and the Barcelona star's moment of class means that Spain are world champions for the first time, and the first European side to win the World Cup outside of the continent.


Spain also emerged victorious at Euro 2008 - making them the third team to hold both titles after West Germany and France - and Del Bosque paid tribute to his team for achieving the remarkable feat.

The game will be noted for the flurry of cards - 14 in all - starting in the 14th minute when Howard Webb booked Robin van Persie.

Pretty soon combative midfield duo Mark van Bommel and Nigel de Jong joined him for challenges - a late lunge on Joan Capdevila and a kung fu kick on Xabi Alonso respectively - that could easily have ended their evening.

That Wesley Sneijder was not even cautioned for a similarly woeful attempt at stopping Pedro could only be put down to either Webb being unsighted or the Dutch playmaker diverting attention by claiming to be injured himself.

Spain were not complete innocents in all of this, but it was the European Champions who were feeling most aggrieved, which only intensified when Webb did not see a niggly second-half challenge from Van Bommel that sparked a reaction from Barcelona playmaker Iniesta.

It certainly made for unsightly viewing at times, but Vicente del Bosque's side did play some exquisite passing football at times, with Xavi and Iniesta helping Spain dominate possession. The best first-half chance fell to Sergio Ramos but his header from Xavi's cross was palmed away superbly by Maarten Stekelenburg.

Netherlands struggled to get into the game but in the second-half were handed a golden opportunity to take the lead; Spain skipper Iker Casillas making a quite brilliant save to deny Robben after the former Chelsea star had been set free by Sneijder.



Robben must have thought he had done everything right. Running at pace - past a stranded Carles Puyol - until he saw the whites of Casillas' eyes, he shaped to go one way, then placed his shot to the other corner. Casillas was committed in the other direction but stuck out a leg and turned the effort wide.

It was by some distance the best opportunity of the regulation 90 minutes, although Ramos had another decent opening himself heading umarked over the bar.

Robben threatened to sprint through again, only to be denied by Casillas, but losing possession did not come before Puyol had made a desperate grab for the Bayern Munich winger, who was convinced the Barcelona defender should have been sent off.

On as a substitute, with a point to prove after mustering the grand total of 93 minutes prior to tonight, Arsenal's Cesc Fabregas twice came close to breaking the deadlock in extra-time, when Xavi also had a penalty claim turned down.

John Heitinga was sent off for his second yellow card when he pulled back Iniesta, giving Spain the man advantage, yet the Dutch held firm and looked like taking the tie to penalties.

However, Spain were not to be denied. Fabregas slotted it through to Iniesta and after one touch to control it, his second was a crisp volley past Stekelenburg.

Del Bosque's side held on and the final whistle saw euphoric scenes as Spain's ecstatic players celebrated an inaugural World Cup triumph.

Scoring Summary

Netherlands	Spain
	Andrés Iniesta (116')

Match Stats

Netherlands

Spain

13(5)	Shots (on Goal)	19(6)
28	Fouls	19
6	Corner Kicks	8
7	Offsides	6
43%	Time of Possession	57%
8	Yellow Cards	5
1	Red Cards	0
5	Saves	5

Match Information

Stadium:	Soccer City Stadium, Johannesburg, South Africa
Attendance:	84,490
Match Time:	18:30 GMT
Official(s):	Howard Webb

Man of the Match: Andres Iniesta.

MATCH SUMMARY

Man of the Match: Andres Iniesta.Once again Iniesta and Barcelona team-mate Xavi were imperious in the centre of midfield, bossing possession and helping Spain play the same patient game that has characterised their triumphant campaign. Possessing vision, craft, and guile in abundance, Iniesta produced a number of fine flicks and back-heels, while his winning goal was taken with aplomb.

Netherlands verdict: After an unimpressive first period - in which four players were yellow carded - Bert van Marwijk's side came into the game more after the interval, trying to get the ball to Arjen Robben as much as possible. It almost worked to devastating effect on two occasions when Carles Puyol's pace was exposed, but Robben was twice thwarted by Iker Casillas. Were outclassed in extra-time and after losing their cool a third World Cup final defeat will be the bitterest pill to swallow.

Spain verdict: Completely dominated possession but had few clear-cut chances to show for it, with a free header from Sergio Ramos and a David Villa strike that was deflected over the best opportunities in normal time. Demonstrated some excellent touches in midfield, with plenty of classy interchanges and never showed frustration when they couldn't break through. Defensively, they looked shaky when Puyol was dealing with long balls but after letting the Oranje back into the game in the second half, Spain upped their tempo in extra-time. The introduction of Fabregas injected some much-needed freshness into Vicente del Bosque's side and the winning goal was just reward for the team that unquestionably played the better football.

Could do better: Robin van Persie. A terrible tournament for Van Persie was epitomised by an anonymous performance in the final. Nothing was working for the Arsenal frontman against Spain, and he never seemed to have the ball under control. An early booking meant he always looked reluctant to chase back and even when he was played through by Sneijder and called offside, he missed an open goal after the whistle had gone.

Stat attack: The 14 yellow cards handed out in the match by referee Howard Webb is the record for most ever in a World Cup Final.

Controversial Refereeing Decisions in World Cup 2010

June 18


Miroslav Klose, Germany 0-1 Serbia (Group D)
Red Card

The 2010 tournament has blighted by rather dubious dismissals, with the red cards shown to Valon Behrami (Switzerland v Chile), Yoann Gourcuff (France v South Africa) and Kaka (Brazil v Ivory Coast) all falling into the debateable category.

But the two yellow cards brandished to a bemused Klose by the over-officious Alberto Undiano risked dragging football closer to becoming a non-contact sport. The first was ruthlessly flaunted by the Spanish man in the middle for a simple coming together between the German goal-getter and Branislav Ivanovic, and while worthy of a free kick was his first offence of the match. The second verged on the preposterous; a legitimate attempt for the ball saw Dejan Stankovic tripped, but hardly in tears. Undiano wasted no time in issuing a second booking in the space of 37 minutes, and an inauspicious tone had been set.


June 18


Maurice Edu, Slovenia 2-2 United States, (Group C)
Disallowed goal

The Stars and Stripes had fought back from two goals down to draw level with a Slovenia side that had looked to be in a position of dominance, but were clinging on amidst a late onslaught led by American hero Landon Donovan. Moments after Michael Bradley had equalised, Edu burst into the box to volley the ball into the net from close range, only for Malian whistler Koman Coulibaly to disallow the goal for an alleged infringement.

The USA were incensed, and replays appeared to legitimise their claims of innocence. Coulibaly was sent home without taking control of another match, amidst international condemnation of his error.




June 20


Shane Smeltz, Italy 1-1 New Zealand, (Group F)
Offside goal

The Azzurri were overwhelming favourites to take care of their inexperienced and inferior opponents, but the All Whites sprung one of the surprises of the tournament, holding out for a 1-1 draw. There was more than a hint of offside, though, about Smeltz's opening goal which rocked the world champions.

Simon Elliot's free-kick appeared to glance off the forehead of Winston Reid, finding an unmarked Smeltz a yard ahead of play. The flag stayed down, New Zealand celebrated - and Italy were indirectly eliminated as a result of a borderline, but ultimately incorrect, piece of officiating.


June 20


Luis Fabiano, Brazil 3-1 Ivory Coast, (Group G)
Handball

Ever since Diego’s infamous ‘Hand of God’ the World Cup finals and contentious handballs have been inseparable. Torsten Frings’ juggling act on the goal line in Germany’s win over USA in 2002 springs to mind, while now Luis Suarez’s wonder save is likely to join Maradona in every World Cup countdown conceived from now until oblivion. But Brazilian forward Luis Fabiano managed the impressive feat of using his hand (and arm) not once, but twice in the same attack before netting the second of his two goals versus the Elephants.

His initial control of a long through pass caught his forearm, before using the same limb to neatly knock a difficult bouncing ball into his path and volleying home. The referee afterwards seemed to ask the Sevilla striker if he had used his hand – to which Fabiano simply let out a burst of laughter and jogged back to the half-way line.






June 27 


Frank Lampard, Germany 4-1 England; (Round of 16)
Phantom goal

Lampard's phantom 'goal' is arguably the moment that this World Cup is likely to be remembered for most, based on the ramifications it may have for football in general, as a brave new world of technological innovation attempts to eradicate such glaring errors. With England looking to strike back against a German side that had dominated the majority of the half, Lampard lobs the ball neatly over the head of the despairing dive of Manuel Neuer, only for the ball to glance off the underside of the crossbar, and land three miles over the goal-line.

Neuer is almost in the net when he attempts to claw the ball to safety, but realises upon reaching his feet that play is to continue. He sheepishly blasts the ball upfield before the referee can change his decision. Cue a karma-covered 1966 repeat, Germany enjoy a comfortable 4-1 success, and an incident that renders decision-making in football Draconian when compared to the likes of tennis and cricket.


June 27


Carlos Tevez, Argentina 3-1 Mexico, (Round of 16)
Offside goal

Mere hours after the Lampard debacle, Stefano Ayroldi attempted to take some of the heat from his companion by overseeing an equally unforgivable decision as Argentina faced Mexico. Throughout the tournament assistant referees, in the main, called the more ambiguous offside calls correctly, and in favour of the attacker. However, when Argentina’s talisman Lionel Messi flicks the ball forward into the path of Tevez, in a match that was closely contested until this point, the Manchester City forward is so far offside there is clear daylight between him and the goal.

It appeared a straightforward call but, bafflingly, the assistant's decision is to keep his flag by his side, ensuring an Aztec backlash that threatened to boil over into a half-time brawl. Tevez wheels away in delight, while Stefano Ayroldi was surrounded by a posse of bamboozled Mexicans. To compound their misery, Tevez later rockets a stunning twenty-five yard strike into the top corner of the net, and the Albicelestes win 3-1.





July 3 


Xabi Alonso, Spain 1-0 Paraguay, (Quarter Finals)
Penalty re-taken

The ludicrous inconsistencies of the encroachment rule when penalty kicks are being taken have never been better highlighted than by referee Carlos Batres during this quarter-final clash. La Albirroja are underdogs, but are denied the opportunity to take the lead when Iker Casillas outfoxes Oscar Cardozo, parrying his spot-kick to safety. Spain within minutes are awarded a penalty of their own, one which Xabi Alonso duly converts.

However, Batres demands a retake as a trio of Alonso's team-mates drift inches over the 18-yards line. As fate would have it, Alonso's retake is brilliantly saved by Paraguayan shot-stopper Justo Villar. Spain eventually go on to win the match, but subsequent replays show a mass of bodies inside the area when Caradozo had struck the Paraguayan kick earlier in the contest. On what grounds should Alonso's penalty be retaken, and yet not Cardozo's?