FIFA World Cup Semi-Final 2010: How Spain dominated Germany in a 0-1 match, and what significance does the final hold
Germany versus Spain in the semi final of the world cup was a clash of two footballing cultures, one preferring the slick one touch football, while the other sits back defends and hits their opponents on the counter. However, at the end of the match, there could be no complaints, as Germany had no answer to Spain’s prowess.
Spain were the better side on the night and although it took a goal from a set piece to settle the clash, no one could argue that the best team on the night won. Spain achieved the victory in a clear and honest way, they were tactically better and displayed emotional control in a match that could have gone wither way. Spain stuck to their roots, they were frustrated but didn’t panic, they were made to work hard by some dogged defending but they waited and in the end emerged victorious from the contest with their reputation enhanced.
Spain dominated the proceedings throughout the match but time and again were denied a goal that they deserved by some magnificent defending from the Germans but they stuck to their footballing ethos, didn’t revert to route one football and saw the game through.
Germany were a start attraction in this tournament and should be applauded for their contribution. They swept aside a dismal England and clinically dispatched a slick Argentine side in the knock out stages and introduced three modern day super stars to the world in Mesut Ozil, Sami Khedira and Thomas Meuller.
Germans lacked the tactical edge that Spain displayed so effectively, in fact, Germany played into Spain’s hands. Paul the octopus had already declared Spain the winners, and this could be one of the reasons that the Germans displayed such a shocking performance in the semi-final. They were hesitant and uncertain and the suspension of Meuller certainly did not help.
Spain were a much better side on the night and deserved their victory. They produced far more fluid performance that they previously had in the tournament, took 13 shots on goal with five on target while Germany had only two on target from five attempts.
Spain have won their last 3 games by a slender margin of 1-0 and their patience was a virtue in this game, as Germany after getting an early lead dominated the games against both England, Argentina and Spain were well aware of that, so they waited and waited and finally their moment came in the 73rd minute.
It was not a goal that anyone would expect from two side boasting such class and quality but it was well worked nonetheless, Puyol and Pique, both central defenders made similar runs into the box and Puyol finally slamming a bullet header past Neuer.
A German victory would have set up a tantalizing final against the Dutch on July the 11th that would have had great historical significance behind it. It would have been a replay of the 1974 final where Germany defeated Netherlands in what is still known as the mother of all defeats in Holland.
Whenever these two sides have met, the ties have been enthralling, the contest brutal and the spectacle a treat for the audiences but this time, it was not to be.
Spain versus Holland is a final with no history at all; both the sides have never ever won a World Cup. Spain are contesting for the 13th time in this competition and Netherlands for the 9th and yet their first triumph eludes them.
The two sides have never faced off each other in a major tournament but make no mistakes in underestimating them, as they hold mammoth potential to be a cracker.
The current breed of Spanish footballers is standing on the verge of greatness and no matter who wins on Sunday history books will be rewritten. It is the first time in the history of the tournament that a world cup final is being played without Brazil, Argentina, Italy or Germany involved and it means that the first ever World cup in Africa will have a brand new winner, the 8th and the 1st since France lifted the coveted trophy for the first time in 1998.
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