(A TWD Sports Special)
Elation or devastation.
U2'S "Get On Your Boots":
And K'Naaan's "Wavin Flag:
The lineups:
Spain: Castillas; Capdevilla, Puyol, Pique, Ramos; Busquets, Alonso, Iniesta, Xavi, Pedro; Villa
Netherlands: Stekelenburg; Van der Wiel, Mathijsen, Hetinga, Van Bronchkorst; De Jong, Van Bommel, Robben, Sneijder, Kuyt; Van Persie
Keys to the Final, where one nation will no longer be burden with the mantle of "Best country to have never won a World Cup."
The flank play matchups will be so momentous to the occasion:
For the Dutch to win, Arjen Robben must have a masterclass over Joan Capdevilla on the right flank tonight for Holland. Capdevilla is the weakness in this side, and it will be important for Robben to be on form, because if he isn't on the counterattack, than it will be a long day for Holland.
Martin van Bommel is also a key man for the Dutch, but he must down more than destroy. While he'll work with Nigel de Jong to stop the fluidity of Spain's midfield, it is important for Van Bommel to press up at times and help Wesley Sneijder, for he will do battle with Sergio Busquets and Xabi Alonso.
Still for Spain through, the fluidity between the midfield and the forwards, particularly with Pedro, is vital for them to capture their first Copa Mundial.
And of course, if the game is tight, does Fernando Torres comes on and becomes the hero. We shall find out folks.
Iniesta with the goal!!!!!!!!!, Spain are a few minutes away here.
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Prediction: Espana 3, Netherlands 1, Tournament MVP: Paul the Octopus.
5' Stekelenburg with the key save, one of the saves of this #worldcup right there. Great header by Ramos there, and he already looks to the heavens.
Ramos has been quite clearly the best right back in this #worldcup, and now is the right back numero uno over Maicon for me.
8' Very sloppy from the usually young and placid Sergio Busquets there. #worldcup
12' Sergio Ramos with great skill again, and John Heitinga with the timely block not into his own goal there. Then, Alonso to villa, excellent technique, just wrong side of the net. All #esp right now #worldcup
15' Howard Webb calls a deserved yellow on van Persie, and such a dumb yellow card form the Arsenal man, who has had just a quiet tournament.
17 And Puyol gets a yellow & it's deserved despite Robben's propensity to make a dinner out of it, but it is reckless from the Barca captain.
19 So far, possession is 60-40% in favor of #esp. worldcup
23 van Bommel with a daft yellow, but a yellow on Ramos there
28 Things have slowed down in the last five minutes here.
34 For me so far, Howard Webb has been the best player on the pitch. His refereeing has been spot on this tournament.
40 Spain starting to get back the possession in the midfield here as halftime beckons.
1st half analysis:
Spain showed their class in the beginning, and Stekelenburg made another big save in this tournament, denying Ramos the crucial first goal. Ramos also was bright getting past Mathijsen, only for Heitinga to be timely.
After that, Spain could never find the cutting edge. Pedro showed his class, but could never find Villa, as his future teammate at Barcelona could never find the space up top and had to come back in the midfield out right a lot.
Slowly but surely, both Snejder and Robben started to wakeup here, and got their acts together. But no clear cut chance from the Dutch either, and Nigel de Jong was obviously lucky to not get sent off there.
It got more crowded and less attractive as the match went on, and it seems it has the makings of one goal will decide this one. The Dutch, just like the Germans and everyone else, just had to concede the possession to Spain, but van Bommel has to help Sneijder to prove the Dutch with additional creativity in the midfield.
And will Torres come on to help David Villa? We shall see.
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Heitinga with amazing block there, it has been an enthralling 2nd half here folks.
This looks like it is going to extra time, and it is in extra time!
Bring out the Sangria!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
It has been a marvelous moment.
#Esp becomes the first team to win the #worldcup after losing their first game.
It's been another memorable World Cup, four years now is the gap once again.