World Cup Day 25: World Cup Final - Holland vs Spain

Holland 0 Spain 1 (Iniesta 116)

World Cup Final: The Key Points

5 mins - Sergio Ramos header from a Xavi free kick which was saved by Maarten Stekelenburg.

12 mins - David Villa shot goes into the side netting.

29 mins - Nigel De Jong booked for stamp on Xabi Alonso's chest. He should have been sent off.

44 mins - Arjen Robben shot saved by Iker Casillas

Half-Time: 0-0 - Both Nigel De Jong & Mark Van Bommel should have been sent off.

62 mins - A wonderful Wesley Sneijder through ball allowed Robben a run on goal but effort was brilliantly saved by the feet of Casillas.

70 mins - Villa had a chance at the back post after a mistake by Johnny Heitinga but he was able to recover and block Villa's attempt.

77 mins - Sergio Ramos headed an effort way over when he was unmarked from a corner.

83 mins - Robben got through again but this time Casillas came out to smother him.

Full-Time 0-0

95 mins - After a lovely pass from Andres Iniesta allowed Cesc Fabregas to run into the box but his shot was saved by Stekelenburg.

Extra Time: Half-Time: 0-0

110 mins - Johnny Heitinga sent off for a second bookable offence after pulling back Iniesta.

116 mins - Fernando Torres clipped a cross into the box. It was partially cleared but Fabregas picked it up and he found Iniesta in the area, he steadied himself before volleying past Stekelenburg.

Full Time Of Extra Time: 0-1

FIFA WORLD CUP WINNERS 2010: SPAIN

World Cup Final Preview - Spain

Holland vs Spain - Kickoff 7:30pm on BBC1 & ITV1

Road To The Final

Group Stage:-

Wednesday 16th June - 0:1 Switzerland (LOSS)

Monday 21th June - 2:0 Honduras (WIN)

Friday 25th June - 2:1 Chile (WIN)

Round Of 16:-

Tuesday 29th June - 1:0 Portugal (WIN)

Quarter-Final:-

Saturday 3rd July - 1:0 Paraguay (WIN)

Semi-Final:-

Wednesday 7th July - 1:0 Germany (WIN)

World Cup Final Preview - Holland

Holland vs Spain - Kickoff 7:30pm on BBC1 & ITV1

Road To The Final

Group Stage:-

Monday 14th June - 2:0 Denmark (WIN)

Saturday 19th June - 1:0 Japan (WIN)

Thursday 24th June - 2:1 Cameroon (WIN)

Round Of 16:-

Monday 28th June - 2:1 Slovakia (WIN)

Quarter-Final:-

Friday 2nd July - 2:1 Brazil (WIN)

Semi-Final:-

Tuesday 6th July - 3:2 Uruguay (WIN)

World Cup Day 24 - Germany vs Uruguay

Uruguay 2 (Cavani 28, Forlan 51) Germany 3 (Muller 18, Jansen 56, Khedira 82)

Germany started well and should have been ahead after ten minutes when Arne Friedrich hit the crossbar after Germany corner. The Germans went ahead on eighteen minutes when Thomas Muller put the rebound into the net after a long range from Bastian Schweinsteiger was parried into the middle of the goal by Fernando Muslera. With Germany in control, it looked like Uruguay were going to need something special to get back into the match. On twenty eight minutes the Uruguayan's equalised. A mistake by Schweinsteiger allowed Diego Perez to pick up the jabulani and pass to Diego Forlan who in turn found Edison Cavani. He was able to run into the box and slide his shot past Hans Jorge-Butt in the German goal. That was 1-1 and game on. In the fifteen minutes before half time Uruguay were the better side as Schweinsteiger and the rest of the German team looked to be dwelling on his mistake. Luis Suarez had a chance to make it 2-1 before half time but he dragged his shot wide.

It ended 1-1 at half time, both sides trying to win the match and both looking dangerous & dominating periods.

Six minutes into the second half and Uruguay were ahead. Forlan hit a volley into the ground & into the net. That was after good play from Egidio Arevalo who crossed into the edge of the box for Forlan to make it 2-1 and put Uruguay in control. A ball into the Uruguayan box from Jerome Boateng caused all sorts of problems. Muslera came out to punch the ball but did not get anywhere near it. That allowed the cross to get to Marcell Jansen who with the side of his face put Germany back on level terms, 2-2 after fifty six minutes.

Stefan Kiessling had an effort saved by Muslera on seventy six minutes. As both sides pressed for a winner spaces began to appear. Germany regained the lead on eighty two mintues, when a whipped corner from Mesut Ozil popped up & enabled Sami Khedira to loop his header over Muslera and into the goal. Two minutes from time Kiessling had a wonderful chance to make it 4-2 but side footed his effort way over the bar. With the last kick of the game Uruguay had a chance to make it 3-3 but Forlan's freekick came back off the crossbar.

World Cup Day 23 - Germany vs Spain

Germany 0 Spain 1 (Puyol 73)

Spain kept the ball well throughout and tired Germany out. The best chance of the first half fell to Carlos Puyol who headed over from a few yards out after a driven cross from Andres Iniesta on 14 minutes.

Spain continued to keep the jabulani and put Germany under pressure. The pressure finally told on 73 minutes when a Xavi corner was met by the head of Puyol who rocketed his past Manuel Neuer in the German goal. Spain had chances to wrap the game up with Pedro and Fernando Torres but neither could find a finish.

Spain go through to the final on Sunday and will play the Netherlands.

World Cup Day 22 - Uruguay vs Holland

Uruguay 2 (Forlan 41, D.Perriera 92) Holland 3 (Van Bronckhorst 16, Sneijder 70, Robben 73)

The game lacked quality until a stunning strike from Gio Van Bronckhorst put the Dutch 1-0 infront. From 35 yards out he struck the jabulani and it when right across Fernando Muslera's goal. He got fingertips to it but the strike was so good nothing was gonna stop it. Went in off the post and that was 1-0 to Holland after 18 minutes. There wasn't much happening and it looked like the Dutch would go into the break 1-0 up. That was until Diego Forlan came up with a moment of magic. He created space for himself 35 yards from goal with the help of Edinson Cavani and curled his effort past Maarten Stekelenburg who could only get a hand to the ball but it wasn't enough to keep it out. That made it 1-1 at half time.

After the break the game again became cat and mouse as neither team was pressing the matter. A Wesley Sneijder shot from the edge of the box which deflected off Maxi Pereira which headed towards goal. Robin Van Persie threw a leg at the ball but didn't get a touch on it, that looked to have put Muslera off as he couldn't get near it. As it ended up going in at the far post. That was 2-1 on 70 minutes. Three minutes later Arjen Robben put the Netherlands 3-1 up. A Dirk Kuyt cross into the box came to Robben whose brilliant header which went in off the near post leaving Muslera with no chance.

As it looked like the Dutch were going to run away with it. Uruguay were able to pull a goal back deep into injury time. A Walter Gargano freekick came to Maxi Pereira who curl his shot into the Dutch goal with his second touch. That made it a nervous last couple of minutes for Holland but they survived and will play in the World Cup final on Sunday.

World Cup Semi Finals Confirmed

SEMI FINALS

Uruguay vs Holland - Tuesday 6th July Kickoff 7:30pm on ITV1

Germany vs Spain - Wednesday 7th July Kickoff 7:30pm on BBC1

World Cup Day 21 - Paraguay vs Spain

Paraguay 0 Spain 1 (Villa 82)

The first half Paraguay pressed Spain high up the pitch and never allowed Spain to get into a passing rhythm. The past Spanish chance went to Xavi who volleyed it over and Paraguay had a goal disallowed for offside.

The game burst into life with 2 penalties in 2 minutes. The first of which went to Paraguay on 57 minutes after Gerard Pique brought down Oscar Cardozo. He stepped up to take the spot kick and it was saved by Iker Casillas. Spain broke and went up the other end and were awarded a penalty themselves. David Villa was through on goal and brought down by Antolin Alcaraz. Xabi Alonso stepped up and scored but the referee made him retake it for encroachment. Second time, Xabi Alonso went the other way and Justo Villar made the save. The game was starting to get stretched and as Spain were picking up the pace, Paraguay were tiring after working so hard to press.

On 82 minutes Spain went ahead. Andres Iniesta showed super feet and played in Pedro whose effort struck the post. It came back to Villa, his shot hit the far post then the other post and went in. That made it one nil. There was one last chance for Paraguay which came to Roque Santa Cruz but his shot was saved by Casillas.

World Cup Day 21 - Argentina vs Germany

Argentina 0 Germany 4 (Muller 3, Klose 67, 89, Friedrich 74)

Germany took the lead within 3 minutes. A wonderfully floated freekick in from Bastian Schweinsteiger which was met by the slightest of touches from Thomas Muller his Bayern Munich team mate which helped it beat Sergio Romero in the Argentine goal. 1-0 to Germany. The Germans were in full control of the first 15-20 minutes causing Argentina all sorts of problems. Then Argentina came slowly back into it. On 23 minutes Lionel Messi played a lovely pass into the Germany box but Carlos Tevez couldn't get there ahead of Manuel Neuer. It could and probably should have been 2-0 when Muller got down the wing and played it into Miroslav Klose who could only sky his shot way over. The Argentinians had a goal disallowed on 37 because 4 players were in an offside position. At the break it was 1-0 to Germany but it could easily have been more.

Argentina started the better in the second half and had a few chances but nothing that was clear cut. Then on 68 minutes Germany went 2 goals ahead. Muller found a pass to Lukas Podolski who played a perfect pass along the six yard box where Miroslav Klose tapped the jabulani home. Germany went further ahead on 74 minutes after a great run by Schweinsteiger on the wing he got into the box and was able to find Arne Friedrich with the pass who toe poked it home for his first goal for Germany. Germany grabbed a fourth a minute from time to seal the game and confound Argentina's misery. The German's broke with pace as Podolski sent Mesut Ozil away, his floated cross came perfectly for Klose to volley past Romero. That was 4-0 and Germany will take some beating.

World Cup Day 20 - Uruguay vs Ghana

Uruguay 1 (Forlan 55, Suarez sent off 120) Ghana 1 (Muntari 45+2)

The game was punctuated by the referees whistle in the 1st half. Both teams had chances to take the lead but in injury time Ghana took the lead. Sulley Muntari picked the jabulani up in the Uruguay half and he struck a 35 yard shot which curl past Fernando Muslera whose positioning was all wrong.

10 minutes into the 2nd half, Diego Forlan brought Uruguay back into the game with a stunning freekick which sailed past Richard Kingson. There were chances for both sides but neither could find the killer touch and they were both tiring. The game ended 1-1, so we moved to extra time.

Both sides were still very tired and that's how the first half of extra time went along. Neither really looked like scoring. Asamoah Gyan, Stephan Appiah and Kevin-Prince Boateng all had chances in the 2nd half of extra time to win it for Ghana. The last minute was when the drama came to the boil. A Ghanian corner was glanced on and Muslera couldn't clear it. Dominic Adiyiah had a shot which was blocked by Luis Suarez on the line, before Adiyiah's next effort was batted away by Suarez. Suarez was sent off and Ghana had a penalty to win the game deep into injury time at the end of the 2nd half of extra time. Gyan stepped up and struck his thunderous effort against the crossbar.

We went on to penalties and so the drama continued. The first 5 penalties were scored until Ghana's John Mensah's penalty was saved by Muslera. Maxi Pereira smacked his effort way over for Uruguay which brought Ghana back into the game. Adiyiah's penalty was saved by Muslera down to the right. That left Sebastian Abreu knowing that if he scored Uruguay would go into the semi finals of the World Cup. He duly obliged by chipping his penalty right down the middle, sending the Uruguayan fans, players and staff mad.

World Cup Day 20 - Holland vs Brazil

Holland 2 (Felipe Melo Own Goal 53, Sneijder 68) Brazil 1 (Robinho 10, Felipe Melo Sent Off 73)

Robinho put Brazil ahead on 10 minutes after a lovely through ball by Felipe Melo and he side footed it past Maarten Stekelenburg. At half time their only looked like one time winning this match and it wasn't Holland.

Holland didn't look like scoring until they got a freekick. It was worked to Wesley Sneijder who curled in a cross. Julio Cesar came out to punch but couldn't get near it. That was because Felipe Melo attacked the jabulani which came of his head and ended in the net. Arjen Robben curled in a corner which Dirk Kuyt flicked on at the near post and Sneijder was there in the middle of the box to head home on 68 minutes to make it 2-1 to the Dutch. Minutes later Felipe Melo's day was compounded went he was sent off for a stamp on Robben.

Holland were able to hang on as Brazil could not fashion a chance to equalise. Brazil go out at the quarter-final stage for the second World Cup running. Holland go through to semi-finals for the first time since 1998. They will play the winners of Uruguay vs Ghana this coming Tuesday.