Spanish kings reign supreme

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 12/07/2010 (5931 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

JOHANNESBURG, South Africa — Spain’s place among world football’s all-time greatest teams was assured Sunday when Andres Iniesta scored with four minutes of extra time remaining to beat the Netherlands 1-0 and clinch his country’s first World Cup.

With the teams facing a penalty shootout after an often ill-tempered game of few clear chances, Iniesta collected a sliding pass into the area from substitute Cesc Fabregas and smashed the ball across goalkeeper Maarten Stekelenburg and in at the far post.

The goal clinched Spain’s fourth straight 1-0 victory in South Africa and made the team only the third to be world and European champion at the same time.

At the final whistle, the Spanish players hurried to swap their blue shirts for their more familiar red colours in time to collect the trophy. They donned shirts decorated with a single gold star to mark their triumph, becoming the eighth nation to receive the honour in the tournament’s 80-year history.

"I can’t quite believe it yet," said Iniesta, who was voted man of the match. "I had the opportunity to score that goal which was so important to my team. It’s something absolutely incredible. I simply made a small contribution to my team in a match that was very rough."

The Dutch players trudged forlornly to collect their runners-up medals, the third squad from the Netherlands to finish second in football’s biggest game.

Netherlands coach Bert van Marwijk took off his silver medal as soon as left the podium, with a look of disgust on his face at having failed to better the "Total Football" generation that lost the 1974 and ’78 finals.

It was a less-than-classic performance by Spain and both teams created few clear chances at Soccer City, although the game opened up slightly after a cagey opening hour. The Netherlands broke up Spain’s attempts to get its passing game going with physical play that brought nine yellow cards.

Defender John Heitinga got his second yellow and was sent off in the 19th minute of extra time to become only the fifth man to get a World Cup final red card.

With Spain also collecting five yellows, the total beat the 1986 record of six between Argentina and West Germany and made it the dirtiest World Cup final of all time.

"There were all sorts of things happening on the pitch," Iniesta said.

Extra time was littered with almost as many chances as normal time. Stekelenburg saved a low shot by Fabregas before winger Arjen Robben was blocked and defender Joris Mathijsen headed over at the other end.

With Wesley Sneijder crowded out and Spain striker David Villa continually forced wide in search of possession, Robben looked the most likely player to put the finishing touch to his team’s uncompromisingly physical approach.

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The winger broke free in the 62nd minute but his low shot to the far post was kept out with the toe of goalkeeper Iker Casillas’ right boot.

He was clear again with seven minutes of normal time remaining, collecting Robin van Persie’s flick from Nigel de Jong’s hopeful punt forward. Robben held off Carles Puyol’s attempts to wrestle him to the ground and tried to take the ball across Casillas, only for the goalkeeper to gather it at the forward’s feet.

— The Associated Press