In a testy, often ill-tempered final that was further ruined by English referee Howard Webb whose trigger-happy fingers pulled out a total of 14 yellow cards and one red and awarded free kicks at the slightest provocation, the player that Wayne Rooney believes is the best in the world – Andres Iniesta – struck a dramatic winner with just four minutes to go in extra time to give Spain their first FIFA World Cup and burdened the Dutch with their third loss.

At the best of times a battle for third place doesn’t bring out the intensity or the desire of the teams that have failed to make the finals and is generally regarded as an anti-climactic consolation prize.

Spain, after a dominating performance against a young German side which groped for any kind of rhythm, faces the Netherlands in the 2010 FIFA World Cup finals which the Spaniards have reached for the very first time and they don’t plan to miss the opportunity to inscribe their name on the handsome trophy.

If the art of possession is the key when two equally matched teams face each other, then the classy Spain squad who dominated most of the first half and broke down every German thrust in the second deserved their 1-0 victory that sent them into the FIFA World Cup finals for the very first time against the Netherlands at 2:30 a.m. on July 12.

In an absorbing game of football, the favored orange shirts of the Netherlands beat a gallant young Uruguay side in which 21 of their 23 listed players were seeing action in the FIFA World Cup for the very first time 3-2 to enter the finals against the winners of the second semi final showdown between European champions Spain and a young German side that has played so far like a well-oiled machine.

In possibly the most intriguing match of the 2010 FIFA World Cup the young German squad that has appeared to mature on the playing field under coach Joachim Loew who himself was considered too inexperienced to succeed faces European Champions Spain which has somehow failed to live up to its credentials despite a star-studded line-up headed by a frontline armada led by the irrepressible David Villa and a midfield orchestrated by Barcelona’s Xavi and the always dangerous Iniesta with Cesc Fabregas coming off the bench. .

The Netherlands who have played a brand of compact football combining solid defense with often precise attacking football built around Arsenal strike Robin Van Persie, Liverpool’s incredible workhorse Dirk Kuyt and the goal-scoring Wesley Sneijderwho has slammed home six goals in his last seven internationals will be favoured to beat Uruguay, the last remaining South American side in the 2020 FIFA World Cup after the stunning defeats of highly favoured Argentina and Brazil.
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Minus two of its suspended stars Uruguay will definitely be at a disadvantage against the Dutch in a semi final showdown that will be telecast ”live” at 2:30 a.m. in Manila by ABS-CBN SkyCable’s “Balls” C hannel 34.

Uruguay is bound to miss the services of the suspended duo Luis Suarez and Jorge Fucile. Suarez was sent off for handling Dominic Adiyiah’s goal-bound header in the quarter-final win over Ghana, while Fucile earned his second yellow card of the tournament in the same match.

Adding to the Uruguayans problems is the fact that talented midfielder Nicolas Lodeiro whose remarkable control of the game and his accurate passing has been ruled out of the tournament with a broken foot. In addition captain Diego Lugano, according to BBC Sport, is struggling with a knee injury.

On the Netherlands side premier striker Robin van Persie has been cleared to face Uruguay following a hospital scan on an elbow injury suffered in their last match against Brazil. There was more good news for the Dutch as defender Joris Mathijsen will also return from a knee injury. However, Gregory van der Wiel and Nigel de Jong both defensive stalwarts are suspended.

Uruguay who won the first World Cup face the Netherlands in what could well be an intriguing and unpredictable semi final showdown which is reflective of the World Cup 2020. The Netherlands have long been considered the best team that has yet to win the FIFA World Cup and we believe this is their best chance to achieve that elusive goal.

While the Netherland team does not employ the free-flowing brand of exciting football associated with the Johan Cruyff era BBC Sport believes that while this may not be the most spectacular Dutch side in recent memory it is the most effective.

Their stunning victory over Brazil in the quarter finals saw Bert van Marwijk’s side extend their record unbeaten run to 24 matches. They have won all five of their games in South Africa, beating their previous best run of four consecutive wins at the 1974 finals which was the year the Dutch introduced total football.

In the 1974 FIFA World Cup the Netherlands interestingly opened their bid with a 2-0 victory over Uruguay but after breezing into the finals they were overcome by the tnhen West German hosts.

Then in 1978 the Dutch entered the finals once more only to be denied by Argentina. Although the Dutch are heavy favorites to win and enter the finals, there is no way the tough, determined Uruguayans under coach Oscar Tabarez can be taken for granted as they will strive as always to deny the Orangemen and their army of supporters a Dutch treat.

With the Dutch who enjoyed a treat by ousting fancied Brazil 2-1 and later Germany ripping Argentina apart 4-0, the 2010 World Cup took an unexpected turn with the mixture of resolute defense and measured aggression overcoming footloose and fancy football for which the South Americans are famous.

Ghana, the last African nation in contention in the 2010 FIFA World Cup, paid the penalty f or a missed spot kick in extra time and heartbreak for the host continent whose fans came out in full force to cheer them on.