JOHANNESBURG: A record 14 yellow cards and a red would be issued by the English referee Howard Webb. A potentially beautiful game between two elegant teams had turned nasty and destructive.
Finally, Spain prevailed, 1-0, over the Netherlands with great patience and an accustomed sense of drama in the 116th minute by the goal-scoring wing Andrés Iniesta, taking its first World Cup title, even if this one will be remembered more for meanness than splendor.
The Dutch intended to take Spain away from its graceful passing game. And they frequently did, sometimes with brutal intent. Still, Spain showed hardness of its own, becoming unnerved at times but never discouraged.
Finally, it prevailed for a fourth consecutive 1-0 victory, displaying resolve, endurance and a flair for white-knuckled theatrics while completing a remarkable turnaround. Spain, the 2008 European champion, became the first team to win a World Cup after losing its opening match, which La Furia Roja had done in stunning fashion to Switzerland.
Iniesta’s score came with the Dutch playing a man down after defender John Heitinga was sent off for earning a second yellow card 19 minutes into extra time. Even so, it seemed as if the World Cup final was headed for penalty kicks for the third time in the last five tournaments before Iniesta collected a sliding pass from Cesc Fabregas in the penalty area and volleyed a smash just past goalkeeper Maarten Stekelenburg and just inside the far post.
“I simply made a small contribution to my team in a match that was very rough,” Iniesta said. “There were all sorts of things happening on the pitch.”
"I can't quite believe it yet," the diminutive Iniesta said. "It is something absolutely incredible. I simply made a small contribution to a match that was very tough, very rough."
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