Spain Inflicts More Tournament Pain on Germany
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Spain has reached the FIFA World Cup final for the very first time in its history with a slender 1-0 victory over Germany at the Moses Mabhida Stadium in Durban.
A Carles Puyol header in the 73rd minute was all that separated the two sides as Germany failed to avenge its defeat from the final of the European Championships two years ago.
A cagey start to the match in the opening 45 minutes saw the Spanish do most of the attacking; and indeed, Spain came close to taking the lead on the sixth minute mark as Pedro threaded a clever ball into the path of David Villa, who subsequently slipped a shot on goal.
However, German goalkeeper, Manuel Neuer, came bursting out of the blocks in making himself big and smothering Villa’s attempt with inconspicuous composure.
Spain maintained its early dominance in the game and really should’ve taken the lead in the 14th minute when an Andrés Iniesta cross speared its way onto the head of Puyol.
Yet with the goal at his mercy, Puyol’s diving header from just outside the six-yard box sailed over the bar as Spain continued in failing to make the most of its chances up forward.
For all of Spain’s possession, Germany nearly produced the first goal of the match through a Piotr Trochowski long-range attempt after 36 minutes; and were it not for the timely intervention of Spanish goalkeeper, Iker Casillas, Trochowski would’ve been celebrating his first goal of the tournament.
On the stroke of half-time, a German raid forward allowed Mesut Özil to spring the offside trap as the Turkish-born midfielder looked certain to test Casillas.
Yet, with the onrushing Spanish ’keeper anticipating the strike, Özil instead fell into a heap playing for the penalty with Sergio Ramos in close proximity.
The referee waved away the German protests as a subsequent Pedro effort was again denied by Neuer.
From the resumption of play, Spain persisted in its possession game through the lively Pedro, who was seeing plenty of action on the ball.
Arguably, Pedro was posing the main threat for La Furia Roja terrorising the German defence with his marauding runs down the right wing; so it was no surprise to see the replacement for Fernando Torres twice set up Xabi Alonso early in the second half, who consequently fired both shots just wide of the mark from decent positions.
On the 58th minute, Spain produced its best sequence of play as the Spanish almost broke the deadlock on three separate occasions within a minute.
Firstly, patient build-up play from the European champions finished with Neuer thwarting Pedro’s low drive, with Xabi Alonso returning the favour in teeing up the speedy livewire.
From the eventual rebound, Iniesta’s mazy run into the area almost provided Villa with the opener as the ball gently spun past the sliding attempt of the newest Barcelona frontman.
As a wise man once said, good things come in threes, with Pedro then shooting narrowly wide as the danger finally came to an end for the Germans.
On the 69th minute, Germany almost fashioned an opening on the counter as Lukas Podolski centred sublimely for Toni Kroos to hit a first-time volley straight at Casillas, who instinctively parried the ball away from any further peril.
Spain’s continual pressure on the German goal finally told in the 73rd minute though as an out-swinging corner from Xavi was powered into the net by a sumptuous Puyol header.
Despite the best efforts of an outstretched Neuer, Puyol’s decisive strike was always destined for the target as Spain evoked memories of the Euro 2008 final back on that fateful day in Vienna two years ago.
The ensuing play saw Germany lift its urgency as Die Nationalmannschaft committed more and more players forward in the search on an equaliser.
However, the Germans were always susceptible on the counter-attack, and it showed as Xavi released Pedro in acres of space into the Spanish forward half with only the ’keeper to beat.
Fernando Torres pushed forward into an excellent position to support Pedro, but the Spanish winger went at it alone instead.
As a result, Pedro took one touch too many as Arne Friedrich cleared the ball from harm’s way.
However, with the Germans hardly raising a whimper in the dying minutes, Spain’s dream of ending the tag as tournament chokers is now in touching distance as Vicente Del Bosque’s men booked a date with the Netherlands at the 2010 FIFA World Cup final in Johannesburg on Sunday night.
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