I think I'll be live-posting this one. Hopefully, that is appreciated, though I'm sure everyone is watching this and I'll be talking to myself on this site. I've had Spain has the winners for a while and I'm still predicting that result. Starting lineup for Holland: ------------------van Persie---------------- Kuyt--------------Sneijder----------Robben ------------de Jong-----van Bommel------ van Brockhorst-------------------van der Weil -------------Mathijsen----Heitinga------------ -------------------Stekelenberg---------------- And for Spain: ------------------Villa------------------- Pedro------------Xavi-----------Iniesta -----------Alonso----Busquets---------- Capdevila--Pique--Puyol-------Ramos ----------------Casillas------------- Anthems going now. Sepp Blatter was booed on his way out. It really should be an indicator that the people in the country he advocated for stronger than anyone put down their vuvuzelas long enough to boo him strongly, but he's far too oblivious to the world around him to make any changes.
1 - Van Persie with a poor challenge, followed by Busquets getting shot in the back of the knee. I'm still a Barca fan, but I'd rather see him try to stay up right. 4 - Lots of talk about Stekelenberg early, who apparently ruled himself out of the semi-final, before being persuaded to play by Van Marwjik. I must have missed that story while watching the match 5 - Spain with an early change, brilliant save by Stekelenberg, one handed, sprawling save off a Ramos header from a free kick. Rebound goes to Pique who can't find space to pass to a camping Villa or get a shot of his own. Its early yet, but I'm not sure that Holland have had the ball yet.
8 - Kuyt gets Holland's first shot on goal. Busquets turns the ball over and Kuyt's shot from distance is easily saved. Spain seem to be going forward with a lot more speed than usual. Ramos as always has been involved in the attack early, but I've seen a lot more of Capdevilla getting forward, which will move Pedro into more of a central position up front. Holland will have serious problems if they can't get Kuyt or Robben forward on the wings to pin Capdevilla and Ramos back.
11 - Pedro to Villa to Ramos nearly gets a goal after some tricky moves from Ramos. Ramos' cross/shot was cleared by Heitinga to set up a corner. Corner taken short to Xavi who plays to Xabi Alonso. Cross finds Villa on the far side of the goal, volley goes on the wrong side of the net from a very tight angle. 14 - Van Bommel with what could be his first foul of the match. Perhaps a personal record in time between fouls. I think we'll see another from him in the 19th.
15 - Van Persie appears to be Van Bommeling in this match. He earns a yellow after a second foul. He may be many things, but a ball-winning tackler I would suggest is not one. Replay didn't make the foul look like much, but Capdevilla is limping a bit and getting attention from the Spanish physios. 17 - Puyol gets a yellow for bringing down Robben from behind. Free kick in a not un-dangerous spot, but perhaps not a great threat. Sneijder will be looking to find the head of a teammate. 18 - And of course when I say that, Sneijder sends a hard shot in on Casillas. It will take a far better effort to beat Iker.
20 - Holland getting some good possession now. Robben gets the ball around midfield and takes a smooth run down by the touch line through a few Spanish defenders to earn a corner. Corner goes through, where Ramos nods it out for a throw. 22 - Van Bommel brings down Iniesta, committing just his second foul of the match. He wasn't anywhere particularly close to the ball and made strong contact with the side of Iniesta's leg. 23 - Sergio Ramos picks up a yellow, making it four in the match. Ramos took down Kuyt on the sideline. 24 - Free kick from Sneijder is floated long, looking for Heitinga, but Casillas cuts it out easily.
25 - There's Van Bommel again, this time Puyol is tripped up coming out of the back. No foul is called though as the ball ran out for a Spanish throw. Spain haven't threatened from that chance early. 26 - Van Bommel pops up again, this time intercepting a pass cleanly. 28 - Horrific challenge from De Jong, earning a yellow. He just straight up kicked Xabi Alonso in the sternum. Easily could have gotten a red card for that as he slammed Alonso right between the number and the crest on his shirt.
31 - Shot of Morgan Freeman in a luxury box. He looked annoyed as though Blatter brought him in to be a stand in for Nelson Mandela. 33 - Spain passes back and forth for a while, leading to David Villa trying to send in Pedro for a final pass, but its cut out by the Dutch. Quick counter attack leads to a foul on Robben. A ball then played long for Van Persie is collected by Cassilas, but Puyol catches an Iker knee in the chest for his efforts in keeping RVP off the ball. Iker throws out to touch to give Puyol a moment to get up, leading to an interesting moment. Dutch go to return the ball and Sneijder plays one long to Casillas, which bounces over his head and Iker gets a desperate touch on it to send it out for a Dutch corner. RVP does the sporting thing and sends the corner right back to Iker, as he should.
37 - Robben with another run through the defense, but its cut out and back to Sneijder who was backing up Robben. Sneijder's run is cut out for a corner by Busquets. Corner is taken short and worked to Van Bommel on the edge of the box, but a poor pass is followed by a whiff by Mathisjen (sp). 38 - Quick response from Spain finds Pedro in space in the middle. Five Dutch defenders surround him, but just maintain a pocket of space for him to dribble through. A shot from distance goes well wide. 39 - Van Bommel with his third foul of the match, seting up a Spanish free kick. 40 - Xavi's free kick finds Puyol slashing to the penalty spot, but his header is nodded into the Dutch defense, who clear the danger. 43 - Busquets earns a Spanish free kick, while Sneijder gets a serious talking to from Webb. High boot in the thigh after Busquets brought the ball down. Free kick way out of danger, but Xabi Alonso decides to go for goal. Shot goes wide and never seemed to be on frame. 44 - Pedro with a dangerous run but a pass to free up Villa is cut out by Van Bronckhorst. Dutch counter fizzles out when RVP gets out wide and can't find space to send in a cross. 45+1 - Dtuch free kick bounces all around the box, before settling with Robben just outside the 18. He cuts inside and sends a shot in low to the near side, forcing a save from Casillas. Dutch corner isn't threatening. 45+2 - Webb blows an end to the half. Webb has probably been the most dangerous man of the first half, giving out five cards, but passed up a chance to send off De Jong. Second half could open up a bit, as the first half has really been about both sides taking turns with stretches of possession. Spain's near danger has come from Pedro and Villa making runs onto passes from Xavi and Iniesta. Holland have found their chances from Robben's runs with the ball and Sneijder's free kicks.
Dutch played like SHITTTT so far. wow Hoping to see them attack in second half. and put fucking ELIA in, he'll get you the W.
Elia for Van Persie could be an interesting switch. Slide Kuyt into the middle and see what happens when Robben and Elia have a target.
I have a feeling that the Spanish will respond to the Dutch rough tactics ........ by diving. With the Spanish, and Robben, what are the odds this match will be decided by cheating? Pretty good I reckon.
I haven't seen a foul that was called from a dive yet. There have been a few where players have made a big deal of marginal touches, but the contact was there for a foul to be called. For the possession battle, Spain are leading 56-44. And the second half has kicked off. No changes that have been noted.
Not saying that there has been diving yet, just that I can see a decisive dive coming. I really hope I'm wrong.
