Lesotho Soccer: FIFA World Cup Final Preview: Holland Vs Spain

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With Holland and Spain to meet in the World Cup final at the Soccer City Stadium in Jo’burg on Sunday, the one thing that can be predicted with certainty is that there will be a new champion added to the most exclusive club in football.

With South American teams dominating up to the quarter-final phase of the tournament, nobody would have dared predict that Holland and Spain would meet in the final. But with both Argentina and Brazil shown the door in the quarter-finals, a European champion was on the cards, especially as the African teams did not justify pre-tournament predictions that foresaw their ascendancy.

The finalists are two extremely talented teams that play an open and attacking brand of football, far removed from the gritty game that has served Italy and Germany so well in the recent past. Holland were pipped at the post on two occasions, in 1974 and 1978, while Spain’s best performance prior to this edition has not exceeded a quarter-final entry. Ironically, this year, the two teams had to resort to more grit and ruthlessness, and less flair, en route to the final.

Quite in contrast with “total football”, the Dutch have played percentage football, with little expenditure of energy, to boast an all-win record at this World Cup.

Denmark, Japan and Cameroon were more grist to the Dutch mill, in the group stage. Slovakia was more of the same, in the round of 16, and Merwyjk’s men faced their first real challenge in the quarter-final when they met Brazil. Down by an early goal, following a defence lapse, Holland were given a life-line in the form of an own goal by Felipe Melo. Melo compounded his error by getting sent off for stamping on Robben, even as the Dutch, now 2-1 up, were cruising to an unlikely win.

Skipper Giovanni van Bronckhorst put Holland ahead of Uruguay with a 35 yarder from the left flank that was arguably the goal of the tournament.

Schneider and Robben then gave individual notice of Dutch masterclass, and despite an injury time fight back from Uruguay, there was only one winner on the day.

Midfielder Mark von Bommel has been Holland’s pillar of strength, and along with De Jong, due back from suspension, should direct the course of the match for the Dutch, in the final. Holland will also have back the services of their right back Gregory Van der Wiel, also returning from suspension. In what will probably be Van Bronckhorst’s last match for Holland, the skipper will be hoping for an encore of his performace against Uruguay.

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