Spain-Netherlands poised for classic World Cup final

JOHANNESBURG – A new champion will be crowned at the World Cup on Sunday, when Spain meets the Netherlands in a final which has the potential to be a classic, as South Africans savour the final days of their World Cup.

Well-organised and experienced but blessed with finesse and flair, Spain has the players to outplay any team in the world. The Dutch on the other hand have forwards, wingers and midfielders capable of slicing through any defence.
The first World Cup final to be staged in Africa should be a memorable one if both teams bring their best game to Soccer City, with both sides bidding to win a first world title. Holland reached both the 1974 and 1978 World Cup finals, losing to West Germany and Argentina respectively, but Bert van Marwijk says his side are ready to go a step further than those great Dutch teams.
‘We will play for the whole of Holland,’ said van Marwijk. ‘I do not think in terms of revenge (for those defeats). ‘I will watch the game without thinking about historical statistics. We haven’t experienced winning a final and neither have Spain.’
The Dutch are expecting a tight, tactical game against the Euro 2008 winners, who under Spain coach Vicente del Bosque, dominated Germany in Wednesday’s semi-final.
‘I suppose that the two coaches will work from a clear strategy, both sides will have a little bit of tension,’ said van Marwijk.
If they win Sunday’s final, the Dutch will become only the second team to record a perfect World Cup campaign, after Brazil in 1970, by winning every single match in both qualification and the finals. Van Marwijk says the key games on their run to the final have been neither the shock quarter-final defeat of Brazil, nor the semi-final win over Uruguay, but the matches against minnows Japan and Slovakia, which he feared.
‘The match against Japan in the group phase, then the victory over Slovakia in the second round.
‘Everybody predicted an easy game, but I really feared we would go out.
‘I was afraid the demons of the past would resurface and send us home.
‘After that, against Brazil, it was easier for me to motivate the players.’
Spain’s progress to their first World Cup final was seen by local media on Thursday as another vindication of their elegant brand of attacking football.
Their 1-0 victory over Germany, who had been considered the most impressive side in South Africa to date, had Spanish newspapers praising Vicente del Bosque’s side and talking up their prospects for Sunday’s showdown against Netherlands.
Spain coach Vicente del Bosque insisted his side will take nothing for granted ahead of a World Cup final meeting with the Netherlands in which they will start as clear favourites.
‘We will not be blinded by success. We will enjoy this and tomorrow we start preparing for the final.
‘There is nothing more difficult or precious than to win a World Cup, but we still have to play the final. We cannot start bragging or get too conceited yet.
‘The triumph is even bigger because of the size of the opponent.’
Coach Vicente del Bosque dropped Fernando Torres from the line-up preferring to go with a five-man midfield that ran the Germans ragged from start to finish. Torres’ replacement Pedro Rodriguez showed how rich with talent the roster is with a standout performance as the Barcelona winger started for the first time in only his fifth appearance.
Van Marwijk said his team must be less haphazard in front of goal to counter Spain’s fluidity during Sunday’ final. And with no injury worries, he has the fearsome trio of Arjen Robben, Wesley Sneijder and Robin van Persie at his disposal.
The Spanish, with their trademark ball hogging ability, will once again look to have a strangle hold on proceedings and ultimately the match. Much will be expected of leading marksman David Villa, backed by the scheming Andres Iniesta, and probing Xavi Hernadez in midfield.
The first all European World Cup final outside that continent has football pundits and fans in a nail-biting frenzy ahead of the much anticipated kick-off. – Nampa-AP-AFP