Netherlands vs Spain All set for FIFA final
Many European soccer fans penciled Spain into the final when they
first saw the FIFA World Cup 2010 bracket. But only serious soccer fans
had the Netherlands in the other half of their bracket. Those serious
fans knew these two were among the best European teams in the field, and
they have both lived up to expectations.
Road to the World Cup 2010 Final
Netherlands is undefeated in World Cup 2010. After a perfect run
through group play Netherlands held on to beat Slovakia 2-1 in the round
of 16, and rallied in the second half to beat Brazil 2-1 in a huge upset
in the quarterfinals. Netherlands beat Uruguay 3-2 in a wild,
high-scoring semifinal game.
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Netherlands team |
World Cup 2010 has been a challenge for Spain. Since an opening game
defeat to Switzerland, coach Vicente Del Bosque’s team has been forced
to fight for its life in a series of tight matches. La Furia Roja did
control the match in the round of 16 vs Portugal but only managed a 1-0
win. The quarterfinal match against Paraguay was another typical
nail-biter, with both sides missing penalty shots in the second half,
and the Spanish side only pulling out the win with David Villa’s goal in
the 82nd minute. Spain defeated Germany in another tight match in the
semifinals, this time 1-0 on Carlos Puyol’s goal in the 73rd minute.
Netherlands and Spain
Netherlands has been to the World Cup Final twice before but suffered
painful losses on both occasions. Spain has never won a World Cup but
they have made 12 appearances including three quarterfinals and one
semifinal. The teams have played each other three times in World Cup
play, with Netherlands holding a 2-1 edge.
Spain is suffering from a number of minor injuries but with the
possible exception of the shoulder of midfielder Cesc Fabregas, all of
the injuries are relatively minor and do not look to keep anyone out of
the championship game.. Defender Gerard Piqué and midfielder Sergio
Busquets received yellow cards in the Paraguay game and must play with
caution to avoid another card and suspension.
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Spanish team |
Strategy
Look for the Netherlands to come out a little on the aggressive side.
Not to the extent of taking big risks, but they cannot afford to let
Spain dominate the center of the field like they did against Germany.
Also look for quick substitutions from Dutch Coach Bert van Marwijk,
especially if they fall behind. Spain is likely to play to try and
control the middle of the pitch with their intricate passing game, so
expect a more passive counterattacking game from them, at least in the
first half, and look for la Furia Roja to try and get the ball to David
Villa as much as possible for their offense.
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Soccer City is the venue for the 2010 FIFA World Cup Final,
located in Nasrec, the Soweto area of Johannesburg, South
Africa. Soccer City is currently the largest stadium in
Africa with a capacity of 94,700, However its maximum
capacity during the 2010 FIFA World Cup is 84,490 due to
reserved seating for the press and other VIP’s. The stadium
is also known by its nickname “The Calabash” due to its
resemblance to the African pot or gourd. It was the site of
Nelson Mandela’s first speech in Johannesburg after his
release from prison. |
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