For one nation, a first. For another, it is their third. Either side you support, the journey to the final of the World Cup has been a dramatic one for many teams. Congratulations to Alicia and all of Spain on their World Championship.
Spain 1, Netherlands 0 (Extra Time)
While I’d like to call it amazing game it wasn’t, just an amazing win. The game was back and forth with no clear dominance from either team, but overall Spain showed more strength and endurance to finish the game with the most coveted of wins.
Many in the room were thrilled to see our favorite ref come onto the pitch but were quickly saddened when we realized the only way he had planned to control the game was by throwing yellow cards out right and left. The expected flops from Robben started early on and granted a yellow card to Puyol, but La Furia Roja didn’t lose any of their fury; they carried on the planned aggression against the forceful Netherlands and took the cards as they came.
Replays of cleats to the chest of my beloved Xabi Alonso made all of us wince and while I think it was red card worthy, it would have been a very different game had the Netherlands played a man down from the 27’ on.
Cheers of excitement, anticipation, and fear rose and fell for the next 42 minutes as the battle continued; we all thought the book was closing on these finals as David Villa took on a ricocheted block/clear in the 69’ but we were immediately silenced when we realized his magic on those types of goals had run out.
I prayed the entire game to the newly dubbed “Saint Ikar” and he came through with 5 beautiful saves carrying us into the 2nd overtime with hearts beating, drinks flowing, and penalty kicks looming. And then epic of all epic moments came; after driving the ball to the box many times and losing it with too many touches or too much double teaming Iniesta’s power, perseverance, and precision paid-off with a beautiful onsides goal in the 116’. A rush of relief and joy came over all of the Spanish fans in the room and around the world.
Bring on the history and statistics because Spain will take them all on and come out on top!
VAYA y VIVA Espana para siempre!!!!!!
Waylon Fairbanks
Username: wpfairbanks
Congratulations to Spain, and Xavi, Casillas, Del Bosque, Howard Webb, and everyone else who handed Spain the World Cup. True, the Dutch were cynical in their style of play, but after witnessing Puyol tackle Robben on a breakaway, and Iniesta spend the whole game diving, only to be rewarded the game winning goal, perhaps Karma is as absurd as it seems. It was not a good match, not by any stretch of the imagination. Spain has a lot to thank Catalonia for, including that gold trophy. Thank you Holland, for all you have given us. See you in Euro 2012.
