SOUTH AFRICA: FOOTBALL/SOCCER - WORLD CUP 2010 - Spain prepare to face the Dutch in the World Cup final
Record ID:
455712
SOUTH AFRICA: FOOTBALL/SOCCER - WORLD CUP 2010 - Spain prepare to face the Dutch in the World Cup final
- Title: SOUTH AFRICA: FOOTBALL/SOCCER - WORLD CUP 2010 - Spain prepare to face the Dutch in the World Cup final
- Date: 11th July 2010
- Summary: JOHANNESBURG, SOUTH AFRICA (JULY 10, 2010) (REUTERS) PITCH OF SOCCER CITY STADIUM, SPANISH TEAM TRAINING PLAYERS KICKING FOOTBALL DEFENDER CARLES PUYOL PRACTISING PITCH CAPTAIN IKER CASILLAS PLAYERS PRACTISING SERGIO RAMOS PITCH PLAYERS TRAINING PITCH COACH VICENTE DEL BOSQUE WATCHING PLAYERS PLAYERS PRACTISING ON FIELD VARIOUS PLAYERS
- Embargoed: 26th July 2010 13:00
- Keywords:
- Location: South Africa
- Country: South Africa
- Topics: Sports
- Reuters ID: LVAZQQCWLE1YMCHORHL3AYEV4US
- Story Text: The reigning European champions Spain will be hoping to win their first World Cup when they play the Netherlands at Johannesburg's Soccer City on Sunday (July 11).
Spain, who had never before progressed past the quarter-final stages of the World Cup, will be hoping to match the feat of European neighbours France who won the World Cup in 1998 and then the European title two years later.
Vicente del Bosque's side, which trained at Soccer City on Saturday (July 10), have shown extreme discipline in the tournament, with every player drilled to a supreme level of technical ability, concentration and spatial awareness that enables them to create patterns of passes probably unsurpassed by any previous nation.
David Villa has been the man to finish most of the moves off as the chess game produced a series of narrow but convincing victories but Andres Iniesta, Xavi, Xabi Alonso and Sergio Busquets were almost interchangeable in their midfield maze.
With Fernando Torres still lacking his customary touch -- he was dropped for the semi-final against Germany and came on as a late substitute -- Spain's problem all tournament has been in scoring goals.
They have managed just seven in total in their six matches to date, five of them from David Villa, and they are likely to line up again with Pedro alongside their customary match winner, with Torres on the bench.
The 28-year-old Villa has rattled in 43 in 64 games since making his debut in 2005, one short of the national scoring record of 44 in 102 held by Raul, and is the 2010 World Cup's joint-leading marksman with his five goals in six matches.
In defence, they have goalkeeper and captain Iker Casillas, who at just 29, has already played 110 times for his country, just 16 short of the all-time record held by fellow keeper Andoni Zubizarreta.
He led his team to glory at Euro 2008 and although he had come under criticism for his sometimes patchy form for Real Madrid last season he made a crucial penalty save in last week's quarter-final win against Paraguay.
In the centre of defence is Barcelona star Carles Puyol, who clinched Spain's place in the final with a powerful headed goal against Germany.
Spain are the hot favourites for the title, and victory would certainly complete the most memorable two years in the history of Spanish soccer. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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