The end of South Africa 2010

Last time I wrote a blog for you guys out there, we were waiting for the last 2 matches of the 2010 World Cup. These matches were the 3rd place play-off between Uruguay and Germany, and the final itself to be contested by Spain and Holland, 2 teams who had never won the World Cup in their history. So, I think we should get going with all that and then after, possibly Thursday, I will give my best and worst's of the 2010 World Cup so look out for that aswell.

Saturday night, the 2 unlucky semi-finalists met in Port Elizabeth for the 3rd place play-off to determine who would gain the bronze metal at this World Cup. The spirited Uruguayan's came into this game as the underdog's, but in fairness to them, I don't think anyone, least of all themselves, thought that they would get this far and be in a position where they may just sneak a medal out of this World Cup. In all seriousness, Diego Forlan had possibly been one of the best players at South Africa 2010, but it was another one of the player's who had emerged as exceptionally gifted, Thomas Muller, who got the early goal to give the favoured German's the lead after just 18 minutes. That goal looked to have set the 3-time champions on their way to a second consecutive 3rd place finish having registered the same result in their home nation just 4 years ago. However, once again, the Uruguayan's sprang a shock on the millions watching around the world as Edinson Cavani slotted past German keeper Hans-Jorg Butt after just 28 minutes. The German's had hung onto the lead for just 10 minutes, and in all reality, it didn't really come as a shock after what the Uruguayan's had done so far at this tournament and so the game went into half-time on level terms. As the second half began, Forlan's Uruguay looked very dangerous and just 6 minutes in, Forlan himself scored to enhance his chances of winning the Golden Ball for the best player and also get himself back in the hunt for the Golden Boot, for the top scorer. Muller's earlier goal had put him on 5 goals, equal with Villa and Sneijder, and so Forlan's goal was necessary if he wanted to be seen as the best player at this World Cup. It was a very well-taken goal aswell and one that Forlan will undoubtedly watch again and again. In this topsy-turvy game however, the Germans got back level just 5 minutes after Uruguay had taken the lead through a Marcell Jansen header. That was unlucky for a side who had been enjoying their best World Cup in 40 years and it would then be down to who blinked next to decide the bronze medal of the 2010 World Cup. Duly, up stepped midfield maestro Sami Khedira, the young German heading into the goal after 82 minutes to seal the German's second successive 3rd place finish. Or so it seemed. As the seconds ticked away in injury-time, Luis Suarez, a man who had been heavily booed by the African contingent in the crowd for his part in defeating Ghana at the quarter final stage, won a free-kick right on the edge of the box for Forlan to take. It would have to be the last kick of the game but many onlookers doubted whether he could get it over the wall and back down in time. Well, he stepped up and struck it, and it looked for all the world as if it was a spectacular goal to take this fantastic game into extra-time, but unfortunately for Forlan and Uruguay, it struck the bar and rebounded out, upon which the referee blew the final whistle and gave Germany their bronze medal position for the second time in 4 years. Unlucky Uruguay will go home feeling they could've done so, so much more, but have completed their best World Cup in 40 years so perhaps they shouldn't look down on what they have acheived this year.

Onto the 2010 World Cup final then, which came live from Soccer City, Johannesburg on Sunday night between perennial World Cup underacheiver's Spain and Holland. The Dutch had previously been to 2 World Cup final's but had a 100% loss rate whereas this would be the first World Cup final for the Spanish having finally broke their jinx at the quarter-final stages at this year's finals. They can also now boast a 100% record in World Cup semi-finals and so would they take this chance to win the World Cup and establish another positive 100% record, or would they lose their composure having come this far and establish a 100% losing record in World Cup finals? In what was a hotly-contested finals, many pundits criticised the tactic's the Dutch had used to try and get their first World Cup success, but I genuinely think that they used the only tactics that they thought would be successful in breaking up the Spanish passing game. It may not have been pretty, but can you really blame them for doing so? Despite the utter brilliance of the Spanish, and the swift counter-attacking of the Dutch, we didn't really get any clear-cut chances until the second-half when Robben ran straight through the Spanish defence but failed to beat Iker Casillas in the Spanish goal. The Spanish also had a chance as Sergio Ramos headed over a free header from a Spanish corner. For the second successive World Cup, the game ended 0-0 after 90 minutes and we entered extra-time, where there would be yet more drama before the night ended. The first half ended without much incident, but most of the games action came in the second half as the Dutch had a man sent off on 109 minutes (Johnny Heitinga) having collected his second yellow card. In all fairness, the Dutch could've had 5 or 6 sent off during the course of the match, but luckily Howard Webb kept his composure and made sensible decisions which benefited the final as a whole. Just 7 minutes after this fatal blow to the Dutch, Andres Iniesta, the brilliant young midfielder from Barcelona got the ball just inside the box and struck past Maarten Stekelenburg (who had been brilliant in the Dutch goal) to give the Spanish their first World Cup triumph in their only final, but condemn the Dutch to their 3rd defeat in their 3rd final. That came as a crushing blow for the Dutch, who had gone through qualifying and the finals all unbeaten, but in all fairness, Spain were the best side at this World Cup and so it's fitting that they actually came through to win the trophy in the end. Congratulations to Spain who are now double champions (European and World) and right now, will definitely be the number one international team in the Fifa rankings, and deservedly so.

My congratulations then go to Spain and I have to admit I'm devastated that this World Cup has come to an end. I've thought it has been an exceptional tournament despite the fact that most of the football has been poor. We have however seen some brilliant goals and some brilliant individual performances, and the colour and vibrancy of this World Cup will surely live very long in the memory. Thank you for experiencing it with me, I hope you have enjoyed it as much as I have and enjoyed reading this blog throughout the tournament. As I said earlier, tomorrow I will present my best and worst's of the 2010 World Cup, and after that we have a few week's until the start of the football season although I will be blogging about transfer's, pre-season friendlies and the like. See you all soon guys, and once again thanks for reading