Germany 0 Spain 1 World Cup 2010
Spain were full value for the win, controlling the bulk of possession and creating better chances across the 90 minutes. The Germans looked as if they missed the suspended Thomas Muller and were a shadow of the side that had scored four goals on three occasions in this competition.
It was a sign of how much Fernando Torres has struggled from the outset of this World Cup that there were few eyebrows raised when he was replaced in the starting line-up by Pedro. But even with the pacy Barcelona striker, Spain still struggled for their trademark fluidity in the first-half, which was a cagey affair.
It was Pedro who set up the best opportunity in the sixth minute. He slid a neat pass through for David Villa but giant German stopper Manuel Neuer was out quickly to block the shot.
Andres Iniesta carved out the next opening with a driven cross that Puyol flung himself at and saw a powerful header fly over. Xabi Alonso fired powerfully wide on the half-hour mark. And, at the other end, Piotr Trochowski – replacing the suspended Muller – saw his low drive turned around the post by Iker Casillas.
There was controversy on the stroke of half-time when Mesut Ozil burst into the box and went over under a challenge by Sergio Ramos, but referee Viktor Kassai waved play on. Vicente del Bosque’s side started the second-half the stronger and if Alonso had worn his scoring boots they could have forged ahead twice within a minute. First he fired wide, right-footed, after Pedro had made great strides down the right. And then he delivered a better effort with his other foot that flew past the other post after a slick set-up from Ramos and Xavi.
Marcell Jansen replaced a bemused-looking Jerome Boateng as Germany boss Joachim Low attempted to stem the flow from the right. But it was still the red shirts that pressed. Villa was next to strike with a low drive that screwed wide of the far post. Spain came desperately close when Alonso set up Pedro, whose shot was beaten out by Neuer before Iniesta bursting through for a cross that Villa missed by a whisker.
Low needed to shake it up and he introduced exciting 20-year-old Toni Kroos in place of the defensive-minded Trochowski. Kroos almost scored with his first touch. Lukas Podolski picked him out unmarked at the far post but the youngest player in a youthful German squad saw his sidefoot volley blocked by Casillas.
The winner came in the 73rd minute when a well-delivered corner from Xavi was attacked with aplomb by Puyol. Neuer barely flinched as the header powered past him. Mario Gomez replaced midfielder Sami Khedira for Germany. But there was tangible surprise when Torres replaced Villa with 10 minutes to go. Pedro then made a mess of a golden two-on-one opportunity when he tried to do it all on his own with Torres eyeing an open goal.
Manchester City-bound David Silva came on for Pedro in the final five minutes but it was a rearguard action for the Spanish until the close.
