Spain take World Cup by 1-0 in extra time

The Dutch who were on the back foot for much of this final, started to run out of luck in the 109th minute when defender John Heitinga was sent off by referee Howard Webb for a foul on Iniesta - his second caution of a fiercely contested 120 minutes.

It was European champions Spain's first World Cup triumph and now they will be able to lose the tag of under achievers.

The final got off to a flying start with Spain taking the initiative and the game to the Netherlands in a lively and entertaining opening 45 minutes.

To their credit both teams opted to play open attacking soccer, much to the delight of the capacity 84 490 crowd in which the Dutch fans far outnumbered their Spanish counterparts.

But English referee Webb had his hands full in the opening 29 minutes where he booked five players, three from Spain and two from the Netherlands as tackles were flying in fast and furious. By the end of the 90 minutes nine players were inside Webb's black book.

There was plenty of niggle and passion from both sides in a fast flowing first half.

A breathtaking save from the Dutch keeper Maarten Stekelenburg denied Spain's Sergio Ramos a goal in the fifth minute after Xavi had floated a well directed free kick into the Dutch penalty area which was met with a diving header by the adventurous Real Madrid right back.

Then it was Heitinga who came to the rescue in the 11th minute when he did well to divert Ramos' accurate cross for a corner.

A minute later Spain's leading goal scorer David Villa volleyed another dangerous cross from Ramos into the Dutch side netting.

Spanish keeper Iker Casillas did well to pouch a Wesley Sneijder free kick in the 18th minute as the Dutch fought their way back into the game.

Spain nearly suffered a setback in the 34th minute from a sporting gesture from Holland when Heitinga played back the ball to Casillas after the Spanish keeper collided with his defender Carles Puyol.

Casillas threw the ball for a throw-in to allow Puyol to get attended to.

Heitinga's back pass was nearly missed by Casillas who managed to tip the ball for a corner. But in a nice piece of sportsmanship the Netherlands played the resulting corner back to Casillas.

Pedro, who was preferred for the second successive match to out of form Liverpool striker Fernando Torres to lead the Spanish attack, raced through the Dutch defence only to fire wide of the target in the 38th minute.

Xabi Alonso was also wide with a free kick a minute from time. But in injury time Casillas showed why he is rated one of the world's best goalkeepers when he turned Arjen Robben's shot from a tight angle for a corner.

Spanish defender Joan Capdevila wasted a chance to score when he missed a header from Puyol inside the Dutch penalty area in the 48th minute.

Casillas produced a piece of world class goalkeeping in the 62nd minute to prevent Robben getting the opening goal. A Sneijder through ball split open the Spanish defence and Robben collected the pass and with only Casillas blocking his path the Spanish number one did brilliantly to throw his body at the ball and
managed to boot the ball for a corner.

Then Villa missed a glorious chance to make it 1-0 in the 70th minute after Heitinga's failed to clear a low, hard cross into the six yard area by substitute Jesus Nava. Villa hammered home from close range only for his shot to be deflected over the crossbar for a corner.

Five minutes later Ramos headed Xavi's corner over the Dutch crossbar and the European champions started to gain the upper hand once again and had the Dutch side pinned inside their own half.

But the Dutch fought back and again Casillas saved them seven minutes from time when Robben powered past Puyol, and the wide-awake Casillas did brilliantly to take the ball from the Bayern Munich striker's feet.

- sabc.co.za/2010