THE FINAL
Netherlands 0
Spain 1 Iniesta 116
After extra time. Half-time and 90 minutes: 0-0
Netherlands 1 Maarten Stekelenburg; 2 Gregory Van der Wiel, 3 Johnny Heitinga, 4 Joris Mathijsen, 5 Giovanni Van Bronckhorst (c) (15 Edson Braafheid, 105 mins), 6 Mark Van Bommel, 7 Dirk Kuyt (17 Elijero Elia, 70 mins), 8 Nigel De Jong (23 Rafael Van der Vaart, 99 mins), 9 Robin Van Persie, 10 Wesley Sneijder, 11 Arjen Robben. Booked: Van Persie, Van Bommel, De Jong, Van Bronckhorst, Heitinga, Robben, Van der Wiel, Mathijsen. Sent off: Heitinga (second booking)
Spain 1 Iker Casillas (c); 3 Gerard Pique, 5 Carles Puyol, 11 Joan Capdevila, 15 Sergio Ramos, 6 Andres Iniesta, 8 Xavi, 14 Xabi Alonso (10 Cesc Fabegas, 87 mins), 16 Sergio Busquets, 7 David Villa (9 Fernando Torres, 106 mins), 18 Pedrito (22 Jesus Navas, 60 mins). Booked: Puyol, Ramos, Capdevila, Iniesta, Xavi
Referee: Howard Webb (England)
SPAIN became only the eighth country ever to win the World Cup after beating a cynical Netherlands team 1-0 after extra time in a scrappy Final.
Andres Iniesta scored the only goal with just four minutes of the extra period left, bringing down Cesc Fabregas' cross before firing a left-foot shot past Maarten Stekelenburg.
The ten-man Dutch felt hard done by after English referee Howard Webb denied them a clear corner off Fabregas only moments before Spain broke up to the other end.
But the Oranje had hardly endeared themselves to Webb after a series of cynical fouls which, quite frankly, spoiled the Final.
The Dutch tactics resulted in eight of their players being booked and, in extra time, Johnny Heitinga was sent off. Spain also picked up five yellow cards over the 120 minutes.
Bert van Marwijk's men clearly decided to employ such tactics to disrupt the Spaniards' rhythm but there was little evidence of its effectiveness in a bright start by Spain.
Sergio Ramos had the first real chance after just five minutes, producing a powerful header from Xavi's free-kick and forcing Netherlands goalkeeper Maarten Stelkenburg into a fine save.
Meanwhile, David Villa - on five tournament goals - prowled the Dutch line of defence looking to beat the offside trap.
The first booking of a busy evening for Webb came on 14 minutes when Robin Van Persie clattered Joan Capdevila, just after another terrible Mark Van Bommel challenge had somehow gone unpunished.
And so began a procession of nicks and hacks as the match completely lost its way.
Puyol and Ramos picked up bookings for the Spanish, and eventually Van Bommel did likewise for the Dutch, before a truly X-rated karate kick by Nigel De Jong into the chest of Xabi Alonso.
De Jong's offence merited a straight red card but Webb appeared reluctant to cause a numerical imbalance, fearing perhaps he would be accused of spoiling the Final.
Unfortunately, after 20 minutes of foul play in the middle of the half, there was little left of the contest to be spoiled.
As the first half drew to a close, the Dutch threatened and Spain captain Iker Casillas parried away a decent effort from Arjen Robben on the stroke of half-time.
But Webb's whistle for the interval received a predictably muted response from the 84,490 crowd inside the Soccer City stadium in Johannesburg.
The start of the second half was almost a carbon copy of the first with Spain forcing the issue and creating a huge chance.
Again Xavi was the creator - this time, he swung in a corner, which was headed on by Puyol only for Capdevila to miss his kick completely from just a few yards out.
But, once more, the match soon lost its rhythm as Giovanni van Bronckhorst and Heitinga found their way into Webb's notebook.
Then, on 62 minutes, the Dutch stopped fouling for long enough to fashion the best chance of the match.
Wesley Sneijder played a beautiful ball from the halfway line to put Robben clean through, only for Casillas to foil him with his feet - a brilliant save.
The next major opening did not come for another 15 minutes and it came at the other end but it was just as gilt-edged as an unmarked Ramos headed a corner over from six yards.
That sparked a slightly more lively last ten minutes of normal time as gaps in both defences began to appear.
First, Iniesta jinked past a few Dutch defends and looked set to pull the trigger as he was blocked by Sneijder.
And, at the other end, the best chance again fell to Robben who escaped Puyol before he ran into Casillas who had dived at his feet.
But it was no great surprise that no breakthrough was forthcoming and this became the sixth of 19 World Cup Finals to go to extra time.
Yet again, Spain were quicker out of the blocks but Xavi's penalty appeal for Heitinga's challenge just three minutes in was optimistic at best.
A much better chance fell to Fabregas a couple of minutes later after Iniesta pierced the Dutch backline and sent the Arsenal man clean through.
But Stekelenburg matched Casillas' early effort by keeping out Fabregas' shot with his feet.
Spain continued to press as Jesus Navas, on as a substitute for Pedro, hit a speculative shot which deflected off Van Bronckhorst who was relieved to see it hit the side-netting.
Then, just five minutes after the restart, came a defining - if a rather predictable - moment: a red card.
Heitinga was the man to receive his marching orders after he fouled Iniesta on the edge of the box having been caught out by a quick one-two.
But, if anything, after Xavi had sent the resulting free-kick sailing over the bar, the dismissal briefly galvanised the Dutch, who won their own free-kick about 35 yards from goal.
Sneijder smashed it towards goal but it span wide after taking a clear deflection off the back of Fabregas.
Controversially, a goal kick was given and, sixty seconds later, Fabregas was at the other end, sending Iniesta through with a wonderfully-weighted pass.
Unlike Ramos, Robben and Fabregas before him, Iniesta kept his cool and slammed the ball into the net, giving Stekelenburg no chance and saving the match from the spectre of a shootout.
Spain, who had only conceded two goals throughout the tournament and none in the knockout stages, were not about to crumble against ten men from the Netherlands.
In fact, there was little response from the Dutch who have now lost each of the three World Cup Finals which they have been in after defeats to West Germany and Argentina in 1974 and 1978.
By contrast, Spain's record reads played one, won one - and this was a deserved victory for Vincente del Bosque's men despite a poor performance.
The Final match will not go down as a classic - indeed, it was the very opposite of that - but Spain tried, for the most part, to play the game in the right spirit.
Sadly, that is not something which could be said of the Dutch and, despite their valid protestations about the winner, the right team won.
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