music_4321
Headphoneus Supremus
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The Sun is not my favourite newspaper but here's their take on last night's match: http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/sport/football/worldcup2010/3049624/Holland-0-Spain1.html
JUSTICE was done.
Spain were rightly crowned world champions for the first time to add to their European title of two years ago while the Dutch were guilty of crimes against football.
The Spanish bulls tried to play the game and it would have been a scandal had Holland nicked it by kicking Vicente Del Bosque's team off the park.
As it was, Andres Iniesta's winner four minutes from the end of extra time, which he rattled into the corner from a pass by sub Cesc Fabregas, sparked a fiesta.
Iniesta typifies Spain's approach. They want to pass the ball, run with it, love it and entertain.
Ironically it is what the Dutch "total football" sides of the 70s used to do but this one was a disgrace to their memory - this was more "total thuggery".
Holland collected nine yellow cards and a red for Everton's Johnny Heitinga while Spain, in the face of serious provocation, got five of their own.
That established a rather dubious World Cup record for English referee Howard Webb for the number of yellow cards dished out in a final - 14. The previous record was six in 1986.
Dutch players surrounded Webb at the end berating him for goodness knows what. They were lucky they only had one man sent off. It could have been three.
This final will not be remembered as a classic, nor indeed will the competition as a whole but you have to hand it to Spain.
So many of their teams of yesteryear were dismal failures despite possessing plenty of talent but this group allies skill with grit and determination.
It is amazing to reflect that Spain actually lost their first game of the competition to unheralded Switzerland and were in danger of going out.
But they got it together to break German resolve in the semi-final and overcame the aggression of the Dutch who are now three-time losers in World Cup finals.
Former Chelsea winger Arjen Robben had said he was only interested in winning rather than playing beautiful football but in the end his team achieved neither.
Robben missed two golden chances when one-on-one with keeper Iker Casillas, although on the second occasion he was raging at referee Webb, claiming he was pulled back by Carles Puyol.
Spain started brightly with a Sergio Ramos header forcing a diving save out of Maarten Stekelenburg, and David Villa volleying Xabi Alonso's cross into the side netting.
But the first half was more notable for a series of nasty fouls of which the Dutch were by far the worst offenders.
There were five bookings in the space of 14 minutes, the worst of which was when Manchester City's Nigel de Jong karate-kicked Alonso in the chest.
Holland did not create much but, on 37 minutes, Mark van Bommel completely miskicked Robben's short corner and it fell to Joris Mathijsen who was so surprised he kicked fresh air.
Then right on half-time, Robben forced a save out of Casillas at the near post.
Spain were the dominant force though and early in the second half Puyol headed across goal but Joan Capdevila was half asleep and, like Mathijsen, missed his kick from four yards out.
It was a game which so needed a goal and that really should have been one.
Heitinga made it a not so magnificent seven cautions when he was late on Villa and it was difficult to imagine how we could possibly finish with 22 players on the pitch.
There had been so many bookings it was easy to lose count and though Webb was turning out to be the central figure he had called them right.
A spot of football finally broke out on 62 minutes.
Wesley Sneijder cleverly released Robben through the middle and the winger was away with only Casillas to beat.
Robben took aim towards the left corner and, though Casillas dived the other way, he managed to get a boot to the ball and divert it past the post.
Robben held his head in his hands as team-mates fell to the floor in anguish. It was a big, big chance.
The game was opening up and, when Heitinga fell over trying to clear, Villa had a brilliant opportunity but his shot hit the grounded Everton defender.
Had Spain lost, Ramos would have been cursing for he should have scored with 13 minutes left instead of heading Xavi's corner over when unmarked. There was another chance for Robben as he broke and seemed to be pulled back by Puyol - who had already been booked.
Surprisingly, for a player who usually goes down easily, Robben kept on his feet and got into the box but, when he tried to go round Casillas, the keeper saved.
Robben went after the ref claiming a free-kick and a sending off for Puyol but Webb had correctly played advantage.
On came Fabregas for Alonso with four minutes of normal time remaining.
The Arsenal star put extra life into the Spanish play although, like Robben, he was denied in a one-on-one with the keeper as Stekelenburg saved with his boot early in extra time.
Fabregas had another effort which he slid wide but Spain found more space once Heitinga was dismissed with 11 minutes left for pulling back Iniesta.
A cross from Liverpool's Fernando Torres, who had replaced Villa, was cleared only as far as Fabregas.
The Gunner laid the ball off for Iniesta who smashed it across the keeper with his right foot.
Viva Espana!
JUSTICE was done.
Spain were rightly crowned world champions for the first time to add to their European title of two years ago while the Dutch were guilty of crimes against football.
The Spanish bulls tried to play the game and it would have been a scandal had Holland nicked it by kicking Vicente Del Bosque's team off the park.
As it was, Andres Iniesta's winner four minutes from the end of extra time, which he rattled into the corner from a pass by sub Cesc Fabregas, sparked a fiesta.
Iniesta typifies Spain's approach. They want to pass the ball, run with it, love it and entertain.
Ironically it is what the Dutch "total football" sides of the 70s used to do but this one was a disgrace to their memory - this was more "total thuggery".
Holland collected nine yellow cards and a red for Everton's Johnny Heitinga while Spain, in the face of serious provocation, got five of their own.
That established a rather dubious World Cup record for English referee Howard Webb for the number of yellow cards dished out in a final - 14. The previous record was six in 1986.
Dutch players surrounded Webb at the end berating him for goodness knows what. They were lucky they only had one man sent off. It could have been three.
This final will not be remembered as a classic, nor indeed will the competition as a whole but you have to hand it to Spain.
So many of their teams of yesteryear were dismal failures despite possessing plenty of talent but this group allies skill with grit and determination.
It is amazing to reflect that Spain actually lost their first game of the competition to unheralded Switzerland and were in danger of going out.
But they got it together to break German resolve in the semi-final and overcame the aggression of the Dutch who are now three-time losers in World Cup finals.
Former Chelsea winger Arjen Robben had said he was only interested in winning rather than playing beautiful football but in the end his team achieved neither.
Robben missed two golden chances when one-on-one with keeper Iker Casillas, although on the second occasion he was raging at referee Webb, claiming he was pulled back by Carles Puyol.
Spain started brightly with a Sergio Ramos header forcing a diving save out of Maarten Stekelenburg, and David Villa volleying Xabi Alonso's cross into the side netting.
But the first half was more notable for a series of nasty fouls of which the Dutch were by far the worst offenders.
There were five bookings in the space of 14 minutes, the worst of which was when Manchester City's Nigel de Jong karate-kicked Alonso in the chest.
Holland did not create much but, on 37 minutes, Mark van Bommel completely miskicked Robben's short corner and it fell to Joris Mathijsen who was so surprised he kicked fresh air.
Then right on half-time, Robben forced a save out of Casillas at the near post.
Spain were the dominant force though and early in the second half Puyol headed across goal but Joan Capdevila was half asleep and, like Mathijsen, missed his kick from four yards out.
It was a game which so needed a goal and that really should have been one.
Heitinga made it a not so magnificent seven cautions when he was late on Villa and it was difficult to imagine how we could possibly finish with 22 players on the pitch.
There had been so many bookings it was easy to lose count and though Webb was turning out to be the central figure he had called them right.
A spot of football finally broke out on 62 minutes.
Wesley Sneijder cleverly released Robben through the middle and the winger was away with only Casillas to beat.
Robben took aim towards the left corner and, though Casillas dived the other way, he managed to get a boot to the ball and divert it past the post.
Robben held his head in his hands as team-mates fell to the floor in anguish. It was a big, big chance.
The game was opening up and, when Heitinga fell over trying to clear, Villa had a brilliant opportunity but his shot hit the grounded Everton defender.
Had Spain lost, Ramos would have been cursing for he should have scored with 13 minutes left instead of heading Xavi's corner over when unmarked. There was another chance for Robben as he broke and seemed to be pulled back by Puyol - who had already been booked.
Surprisingly, for a player who usually goes down easily, Robben kept on his feet and got into the box but, when he tried to go round Casillas, the keeper saved.
Robben went after the ref claiming a free-kick and a sending off for Puyol but Webb had correctly played advantage.
On came Fabregas for Alonso with four minutes of normal time remaining.
The Arsenal star put extra life into the Spanish play although, like Robben, he was denied in a one-on-one with the keeper as Stekelenburg saved with his boot early in extra time.
Fabregas had another effort which he slid wide but Spain found more space once Heitinga was dismissed with 11 minutes left for pulling back Iniesta.
A cross from Liverpool's Fernando Torres, who had replaced Villa, was cleared only as far as Fabregas.
The Gunner laid the ball off for Iniesta who smashed it across the keeper with his right foot.
Viva Espana!
