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SPAIN IS THE RIGHTFUL WINNER OF THE WORLD CUP …
Iniesta scored in the 116th minute. The Dutch squad picked up way too many yellow cards and played in extra time with just 10 men. The Dutch fought like lions, but couldn’t match the individual quality of the squad from Spain. They earned the golden trophy, for the first time they played in a final. Congratulations to Spain.
The Catalans of Barcelona consider all teams and players from Madrid state fascists. You won’t see the national red-yellow flag flying in Catalonia. No supporter of Real Madrid will ever watch a European Cup match played by FC Barcelona. This season there were some awkward moments: Spanish cup final between Sevilla and Athletico Madrid played in Camp Nou stadium of Barcelona. With the presence of Kingand Queen, the national anthem must have played in Barcelona. No television viewer witnessed this happening, due to a “technical defect” the screens went black the moment of the pre-match recording.
BARCELONA, Catalonia (AFP) July 10, 2010 – More than a million people on Saturday marched in northeastern Spain in support of the Catalan region’s statute of autonomy, after it was challenged by a constitutional court.
The statute, which was earlier approved by the Spanish parliament and endorsed by Catalan voters in a 2006 referendum, gave the regional parliament enhanced powers in taxation and judicial matters as well as more control over airports, ports and immigration.
Police put the number of demonstrators at 1.1 million. A vast column of protesters was preceded by a huge Catalan flag with the slogan “we are a nation, we decide ourselves” while thousands of red and yellow Catalan banners were visible among the huge crowd.
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Ruling: Catalan language should not take precedence over Castilian Spanish. (BBC News)
“This demonstration is the start of independence that we want for our country (Catalonia)” one student told AFP.
The protest was staged hours after the confirmation by Spain’s Constitutional Court of the June 28 ruling which removed important parts of the new statute of autonomy.
The ruling, published on Friday, stated that the term “nation” defining Catalonia in the statute had no legal value because “the constitution only knows one nation, Spain.”
On a balmy evening in the Catalan capital, the match kicked off after enthusiastic singing along to the wordless Spanish national anthem, in contrast to last year’s final between Barcelona and Athletic Bilbao when it was roundly booed.
In the festive atmosphere, many Sevilla fans were sporting sombreros in homage to club president Jose Maria del Nido and vast swathes of the giant arena were decorated in the red and white of Atletico.
The party mood in the crowd failed to rub off on the teams and the match boiled over with around 20 minutes left when a crunching tackle by Luis Perea on Capel prompted pushing and shoving between players and staff next to the technical areas. Atletico coach Quique Sanchez Flores and Alvarez had a heated exchange before match officials restored calm.
Atletico pressed forward desperately as the clock ticked down, leaving holes at the back that Navas was able to exploit to kill the game off.
The last time Barca’s Nou Camp stadium hosted a cup final was in 1970, during the Francisco Franco dictatorship when the competition was called the “Copa del Generalisimo“. Real Madrid beat Valencia 3-1 to win the trophy and Franco was in the stadium to present the cup to Real captain Gento.
Video screen in Barcelona to meet demand by foreign tourists
(Daily Mail) – The Netherlands go into the final on the back of six wins, and if they are victorious on Sunday, they will become only the fifth side to register a 100% record in WC finals so far, joining Uruguay in 1930, Italy in 1938, and Brazil in 1970 and 2002.
The Dutch also had a 100% record in qualification for South Africa and will become only the second nation ever to win all their qualifiers and finals games, after Brazil achieved this feat in 1970.
This will be the Netherlands’ third World Cup final but the first where they haven’t had to play the hosts. Only four other sides have appeared in more World Cup finals than the Dutch (including 2010) – Germany, Brazil, Argentina and Italy.
FIFA expects global TV audience of 700 million for World Cup final
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Orange and red armies besiege Soccer City, Johannesburg
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Coming home to clash for the World Cup Soccer gold, two Dutch players have had a remarkable season. Arjen Robben and Wesley Schneider were sold by Real Madrid at the start of the season to Bayern Munich and Inter Milan. Both players met with their respective teams in the Final of the European Champions League, won by Inter Milan.
In just an hour and a half, both Dutch players will play a pivotal role in the World Cup Final against Spain and their former teammates from Real Madrid. The key to victory wil be the battle of these midfield players, all nominated for the FIFA Golden Ball as most valuable player of the tournament.
Asamoah Gyan nominated for FIFA Golden Ball trophyBTW, Real Madrid didn’t lift the League trophy, their eternal rival FC Barcelona succeeded with an amazing record setting number of wins. In the meantime, David Villa, topscorer of Spain in the WC tournament has signed a contract with … FC Barcelona.
"But I will not let myself be reduced to silence.".
should be Wesley Sneijder.
"But I will not let myself be reduced to silence.".
Five yellow cards in the first half destroyed the hope for a technical and quick moving match. Two key players Puyol and Van Bommel received a yellow card, IMO with a slight red edge. Fouls that intend to injure the opposing player. So far Holland picked up the most yellow cards and Spain had gotten to the final with the fewest yello cards … and the least scored goals ever if Spain would win and become World Chanpion. Puyol and Van Bommel will have to play the second half with slight more caution thereby giving the attackers more room to force a chance to score.
34 min: SPORTMANSHIP RETURN KICK TO CASILLAS NEARLY A GOAL! … the Dutch deliver the ball back, only for it to rear up on the turf and force Casillas to tip the ball out for a corner! That was the most risible goalkeeping misjudgement in a World Cup final since Gianluca Pagliuca let the ball spin out of his hands and onto a post in 1994! Holland take the corner, but roll the ball straight to the keeper, an act of sportsmanship not quite in keeping with the filthfest that’s been panning out previously.
22 min: VAN BOMMEL BOOKED, AS YOU ALWAYS KNEW HE WOULD BE. He slides in very, very late on Xavi, rather like the first tackle in this. That’s a yellow, and no wonder.
17 min: CAPTAIN PUYOL HARD TACKLE ON ROBBEN’S ANKLES. England’s Brave Wise Faultless Hero Howard Webb gets his yellow out for a second time, Puyol coming through Robben’s right foot in order to clear the ball. That’s a fair enough decision as well. And the odds on this getting well out of hand are…?
"But I will not let myself be reduced to silence."I had no dog in this fight, but may have started out with slightly more hope for the Netherlands.
The dirty play gradually changed that – both teams made bad fouls – but the Dutch more so than Spain.
Spain eventually prevailed and desrved it.
I’m looking forward to some sleepless hours – lots of Spanish and other latinos in my neighborhood. The vuvuzelas, the music and the singing in the streets – it is a madhouse.
Paul, the octopus, was right again…
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At half time I wasn’t happy with the rough play on both sides: Holland and Spain. I figured the many yellow cards (5) at half-time would play a role in the game decision. Van Bommel and Puyol could or should have been shown a red card for their hard tackles on the ankles of opposing players. Personally I have refereed some 25 years quality field hockey and some 1300+ matches from youth to senior level as well as indoor hockey. So I do have an opinion how well a referee managed the game. Overall Webb seemed to be technically correct on individual decisions, however the critical decision to show a red card he willfully avoided and he lost control of the match. Never, never has there been such a yellow-card studded Final of the World Cup. I’ve seen and witnessed some in my lifetime … Webb’s wife must have known Howard better than his peers @ FIFA.
First half
15 min: Van Persie slides in on Capdevila, brings him down. Second foul from Van Persie, Webb books him. Verdict: Correct
[Van Persie, an attacker, attempts to play the ball and commits a foul on the Spanish half: no booking as Webb missed hard tackles by defenders and tries to compensate – Oui]
16 min: Puyol commits first Spanish foul of the match on Robben. Studs slightly raised. He goes in the book. Verdict: Correct
[Puyol commits a mean foul studs straight forward on the ankles of Robben from the side. RED card!- Oui]
22 min: Van Bommel goes through the back of Iniesta, bringing up a third yellow card. Verdict: Correct
[As I recall, Van Bommel makes a similar foul as Puyol, an attack on the ankles. RED card!- Oui]
23 min: Ramos trips Kuyt on right to earn a booking. Verdict: Correct
28 min: De Jong boot in chest of Alonso as he heads the ball. He’s booked. Verdict: Should have been a red card
[Agree with criticism, only correct decision: RED card! – Oui]
42 min: Sneijder studs up on the thigh of Busquets. Free-kick Spain Verdict: Should have been a booking
Second half
54 min: Van Bronckhorst pulls down Ramos and is shown the yellow card. Verdict: Correct
57 min: Heitinga takes out Villa after ball is played. Yellow card. Verdict: Correct
67 min: Capdevila catches ankle of Van Persie. Webb books him. Verdict: Correct
73 min: Heitinga late on Iniesta. Free-kick Spain but no second yellow for Heitinga. Verdict: Correct
75 min: Sneijder foul on Ramos. The 31st free-kick of the game. No booking. Verdict: Correct
78 min: Van Bommel stamps on Iniesta. No free-kick. Verdict: Should have been a free-kick and second yellow/ red card.
78 min: Iniesta retaliation. No action from Webb. Verdict: Webb should have booked Iniesta
[In retaliation Iniesta kicked Van Bommel after play was dead, only correct decision: RED card. See earlier World Cup decisions – Oui]
83 min: Robben breaks through middle. Puyol has his arm around Robben’s midriff but Puyol lets arm slide off as Robben accelerates. Robben stays on his feet (through no fault of his own, Webb behind play and cannot see arm) Play on. Verdict: Correct
Puyol should have been dismissed.[Robben broke through clear for the goal. Webb should have stopped play for a free kick just outside penalty area and Puyol should have his 2nd bookin: RED card! – Oui]
84 min: Robben booked for dissent. Verdict: Correct
First period of extra time
92 min: Scramble in Netherlands box. De Jong tackle on Iniesta outside area. Penalty appeal. Play on. Verdict: Correct
92 min: Xavi prepares to strike, kicks boot of Heitinga then trips himself up. Penalty appeal. Play on. Verdict: Correct
97 min: Van Bommel foul on Xavi. Xavi appeals for card. Free-kick Spain. Verdict: Correct
Second period of extra time
109 min: Xavi tackle on Robben – appeal. Play on. Verdict: Correct
109 min: Heitinga pulls down Iniesta and is sent off after being shown a second yellow card. Verdict: Correct
111 min: Van der Wiel fouls Iniesta. Yellow card. Verdict: Correct
113 min: Robben puts ball in net after whistle. No booking. Verdict: Correct
115 min: Sneijder free-kick deflected off Fabregas, also touched by Casillas. Goal-kick. Verdict: Webb should have awarded a corner
[Another decisive mpoment, the free kick caramboled clearly off a defender for a corner kick. Webb “doesn’t see it” and Spain goalkeeper Casillas quickly takes goal kick for a counter catching the 10-men Dutch squad off guard and Iniesta scores the only goal – Oui]
116 min: Elia runs into Ramos outside area (left). Appeal for penalty. Play on. Verdict: Webb should have been a free-kick to Netherlands
116 min: Iniesta GOAL. Iniesta was in an offside position when Torres played initial ball that was intercepted by Van der Vaart. But Iniesta did not become “involved in active play”. He was onside when Fabregas passed to him for the goal. Play on. Verdict: Correct
117 min: Mathijsen is booked for throwing the ball away. Verdict: Correct
118 min: Iniesta removes his shirt. Yellow card. Verdict: Correct
120+1 min: Xavi booked for dissent. Verdict: Correct
Referees defend Webb after World Cup final criticism
A deadly verdict by colleague referees and from FIFA HQ Blattner in their statement:
“Howard will never, ever, if he lives to be 100, referee a tougher match,” Dermot Gallagher, another former Premier League referee, told Sky Sports News.
“If you take the De Jong tackle out — I thought that was a red card — other than that I don’t think he’s got much to really look back in anger at himself, because he’s gone out, he’s been tested to the absolute limit.”
FIFA president Sepp Blatter also defended Webb’s performance, stating that it was “not easy” to control such a match.
“It’s not up to me to judge the performances of the officials, I can only say it was a very hard task that the referee trio had on the field of play,” he told reporters in Johannesburg.
"But I will not let myself be reduced to silence."