World Cup Final

I want Spain to win because I dont like the Dutch for their diving and classless ways (i.e. DeJong put his arm around the ref for not carding him when he should have put his arm around Stu after breaking his ankle). There's also the fact that they've turned five-year-old soccer players into commodities over there and finally I dont like the way they are influencing soccer in areas over here with there "Dutch touch" ways. However, I think the Netherlands take it.

Final Score Netherlands 3 - 1 Spain (tempted to say 0)

I dont know what you mean by game winner. Who wins or who scores the winning goal. If it's the latter I dont care to speculate

 

Spain 2-1...barely. It will intersesting to see if Spain sticks w/Pedro starting and Villa (who'll get the game winner) up top. The Germany game yesterday was a surprisingly respectful lovefest. However w/Von Bommel on the pitch (he'd cheapshot his grandmother) this match should get chippy. Slovakia, Brazil, and Uruguay best chances and goals came in the center of the Dutch defense, and you have to think Spain's precision passing will exploit that weakness.

 

2-0 to the Dutch

 

2-1 to Spain. Red Card to Van Bommel. Goals by Villa, Alonso and Schneijder.

 

I had the Dutch winning this WC initially, but after reading comments from them about "playing smart" and "turning off the style", I've got to go with Spain. Germany played into the Spaniards hands when they went conservative and I see the Dutch suffering the same fate. If they concede possession, Spain will unlock them eventually and the Oranje will have no way back. The key to beating Spain is to put them on the backfoot with an early goal.

2-0 Spain, they won't blow the chance to ice it late like they did yesterday. I'll go with Xabi Alonso for the game winner. He looks dangerous and is due and the Dutch will probably put most of their focus on David Villa.

 

Despite the feeling on here that NED is the devil and Spain are candidates for sainthood, I'm gonna go with the Ginger Blind Squirrel {Alexi Lalas} and say Holland wins.

2-1 on either a disputed goal.. or bad offside call leading up to it.

Why should this game go against the grain of what's happened so far!

So there! :twisted:

 

Spain eeks out a 1-0 win with Villa finding another unusual way to score from a deflection of a post or crossbar.

 

I don't mind mentioning that I actually called this final at the outset of the tourney. I really like the Dutch to take the gold twisty thingy. 2-0, both goals by Kuyt

 

Howard Webb is the ref, so there's no way Van Bommel lasts the whole game, earning either 2 yelllows or a straight red. Robben will likely get a card for diving as well.

 

Webb is the best ref in the tournament. Funny that soccer is the only sport in which I have ever known one ref from the other.

 

Quote from Donovan about Van Bommel

SI.com: You were at Bayern Munich with Dutch midfielder Mark van Bommel. Have you got any good Van Bommel stories?

Donovan: Oh my God, that guy's psycho, man. Honestly, I'm shocked that guy hasn't had 15 yellow cards in this tournament. And somehow, some way he gets away with all these little fouls that he would do in training when I was there. In all the games he gets away with it.

Read more: http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2010/s ... z0tChJDou1

 

Boy there was a lot of decent stuff in that Q&A. Not groundbreaking but illuminating.

 

Was a nice interview. Of particular note was this quote by Mandon

Me thinks he is too special for AC Milan (Gooch too but its too late for him)

 

What a lovely wife!!!


Referee Howard Webb's wife Kay is amazed the Premier League official been handed control of Sunday's World Cup final because he struggles to control his own children at home

 

This WCF match is dedicated to all you who appreciate NHL Hockey when you're not watching footy.
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So.. the 'good guys' win out.

It's all good.