Published Thu, Jul 08 10 11:07 AM
Durban, July 8 (PTI) Spain scripted history by qualifying for their maiden World Cup final since their first appearance 76 years ago with a 1-0 victory over three-time champions Germany to set up a summit clash against the Netherlands here. Central defender Carles Puyol scored the winner in the 73rd minute, heading home a corner in an absorbing semifinal which though lacked the spark in terms of goals and scoring chances, at the Mabhida Moses Stadium last night. Spain''s best show in a World Cup so far had been a fourth-place finish in 1950 but at that time the champion team was decided after a final round league format. Vicente Del Bosque''s ''La Furia Roja'' side will now take on the Netherlands at Soccer City Stadium in Johannesburg on July 11 in the grand finale which will see a new World Cup winner being crowned. Spain and the Netherlands, both world football''s underachievers, have never won a World Cup. The former have two European Championships titles -- in 1964 and 2008 -- in their kitty while the latter have been the losing finalists in the 1974 and 1978 World Cup. The Dutch had also won the European Championships title in 1988. Germany will now play Uruguay in the third-place play-off match at Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium in Port Elizabeth on July 10. Germany were the tournament''s most impressive side with their fast-paced, all-the-time moving and chasing style and clinical finishing. But today, they failed to produce their menacing form which saw them humble former champions England and Argentina 4-1 and 4-0 respectively in the earlier stages. Playing in their first semifinal in 13 World Cup appearances since 1934, Spain dominated for most part of the match and enjoyed a majority of possession, dishing out their ''passing carousal'' made famous by Barcelona FC whose eight players made it to the starting line-up today. In a repeat of the Euro 2008 final in Vienna, the match ended with the same scoreline and with the same victors. Six players of each side''s starting line-up today were in the first XI in Vienna two years ago. German lost in the battle of midfield, with Bastian Schweinsteiger and the Co. failing for the second time -- after their 0-1 loss to Serbia in group stages -- to dictate terms on their opponents as they were not given the space to maneuver by the Spaniards. On the other hand, Andre Iniesta and Xavi Hernandez, two of the main proponents of passing carousal, were all over the centre of the park, tirelessly holding the ball, supplying and taking shots themselves. .
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