Return Of The Spanish Armada: Andres Iniesta’s 116th-Minute Goal Brings First World Cup To Spain

Andrés Iniesta scored the match’s only goal four minutes from penalty kicks, beating Maartin Stekelenburg into the left of goal to give Spain their first world title, 1-0 over the Netherlands in Johannesburg.

Iniesta took a pass to the right of goal from Cesc Fàbregas, who had put his teammate behind a Dutch line caught pushing-up and out of their penalty area. Stekelenburg came out to meet Iniesta and got a hand on the shot, but Iniesta’s half volley from ten yards out gave Spain the lead.

Andres Iniesta has scored four minutes from the end of extra time, scoring with his right-footed shot from 14 yards out to given Spain a 1-0 lead to put the Spaniards on the verge of their first World Cup.

The Dutch, attempting to play Iniesta offside, allowed a ball to be looped over the back line, giving Iniesta time to collect the pass and beat Maarten Stekelenburg toward the Dutch goalie’s far post.

Dutch right back Gregory van der Wiel has been booked for taking down a Spanish attacker, becoming the seventh Dutch player to be booked in the final.

The Dutch have been shown a total of eight cards, now playing down a man after John Heitinga’s 109th minute sending-off.

One-two play from Andres Iniesta and Xavi Hernandez saw the latter put a ball behind the defense, with Iniesta set to blow past the defense for a open chance on goal. Central defender John Heitinga instead pulled Iniesta down at 19 yards out, earning a straight red card from Howard Webb.

Heitinga had already received a yellow card, early in the second half; however, with the denial of the scoring chance, Heitinga’s second card goes down as a straight red, leaving the Dutch to play down a man for the final’s last 11 minutes.

Just minutes after Dutch coach Bert van Marwijk used his final substitution, Spain coach Vincente del Bosque has made his final move. Surprisingly, del Bosque has taken off David Villa and brought on Fernando Torres.

Torres was taken out of the starting team prior to the semifinal but is brought on in the 106th minute with the score 0-0.

Giovanni van Bronckhorst’s career ends in the 105th minute of the World Cup final, the left back being subbed-off by coach Bert van Marwijk. Bayern Munich’s Edson Braafheid replaced the captain, who will retire from soccer after today’s match.

Rafael van der Vaart was given the captain’s armband as van Bronckhorst went off.

Right wing Jesus Navas, after being played the ball from the center of attack, as given room to get within 15 yards of goal in the right of the penalty area, eventually putting a deflected shot into the outside of the net in the 102nd minute.

Navas, a second half substitute, was given space by left back Giovanni van Bronckhorst, who stuck out a leg left to deflect the Navas attempt. The deflection, however, looked for a moment like it would allow Navas to beat a right-diving Maarten Stekelenburg to the near post. The ball, however, when two feet wide of the post, keeping the match scoreless.

Bert van Marwijk’s second substitution is another offensive-minded one.

After bringing on Eljero Elia in regulation for Dirk Kuyt, the Netherland’s coach has taken off defensive midfielder Nigel de Jong and brought on Rafael van der Vaart.

Cesc Fabregas was put through on goal by Andres Iniesta in the 94th minute, the midfielder’s left footed shot from the goal’s left, 16 yards out, saved by the left foot of a diving Maarten Stekelenburg, keeping Spain and the Netherlands even, 0-0.

Spanish goalkeeper Iker Casillas has denied two Arjen Robben breakaway chances, but the Stekelenburg save was the first time Spain had sent a player alone on goal.

Spain and the Netherlands are set for 30 minutes of extra time, having reached the end of 90 minutes drawn 0-0.

Arjen Robben had two breakaway chances for the Dutch, both snuffed-out by Iker Casillas.

Vincente del Bosque, in the 87th minute, used his second substitution, bringing in Cesc Fabregas for Xabi Alonso.

The move is an attacking one, with Alonso, who normally sits deep in the Spanish formation, brought-off for somebody who more commonly plays higher in attack.

Arjen Robben was left irate after no whistle from Howard Webb left the Dutch attacker’s second breakaway chance of the match denied by Iker Casillas in the 84th minute.

Robben created the breakaway chance when Carles Puyol misjudged a ball, took a poor route while trying to chase it down, and allowed Arjen Robben to run around him an onto the ball. Puyol and partner Gerard Pique contested Robben enough for force a poor final touch as the attacker tried to avoid Pique, allowing an aggressive Iker Casillas to dive on the ball.

Sergio Ramos missed over-the-crossbar with a header from four yards out in the 77th minute, failing to convert a corner kick that could have given Spain the lead.

The right back fit the Xavi Hernandez cross with the top of his head after the Netherlands failed to make him in the six yard box.

Netherlands coach Bert van Marwijk’s first substitution is an attacking one, with Eljero Elia being brought on for left wing Dirk Kuyt.

Elia is viewed as a pure attacking option, while Kuyt is looked upon as more of a two-way player.

David Villa was given the strongest Spain chance of the second half, in possession of the ball three yards out at Maarten Stekelenburg’s right post, but the Spain attacker’s chopped right footed shot was blocked by a sliding Dutch defender, with Stekelenburg apparently in position to make a diving save to his left.

Though Spain continues to control possession, holding 62 percent for the match, the Spaniards have only recorded two shots on goal.

Joan Capdevila has picked up a yellow card in the 67th minute, running into and taking down Robin van Persie as the Dutch forward attempted to break into attack down the right flank.

The card was Spain’s third and the eighth of the match.

A brilliant, 30-yard ball from Wesley Sneijder in the 61st minute put Dutch right winger Arjen Robben in alone on Spain goalkeeper Iker Casillas, but great place from Iker Casillas to come off his line and, eventually, deflect Robben shot wide of the `keeper’s right post keeps the match scoreless.

Sneijder, just short of the center line, turned on a ball trapped with his chest and played a long pass with his right foot between Gerard Pique and Joan Capdevila. The Spain left back couldn’t catch up to Robben, who tried to punch his shot into the left side of goal from 16 yards out.

Spain coach Vincente del Bosque has made the first change of the match, bringing on Jesus Navas for Pedro.

Pedro has been quiet since the first twenty minutes of the match. He comes off for Navas, who plays a somewhat traditional right wing role.

John Heitinga has earned the Netherlands’ fifth yellow card of the match in the World Cup final’s 56th minute, the Dutch central defender taking-out David Villa along the right flank, going through the striker’s left ankle was the Spaniard touched a pass back into midfield.

Spain has two yellow cards in the match. The Dutch have committed 15 fouls to Spain’s nine.

Dutch captain Giovanni van Bronckhorst took a smart yellow card in the match’s 54th minute, having been beaten by Sergio Ramos on an attempted Spanish one-two, pulling the right back’s jersey as Ramos attempted to go past.

The foul, which occurred 28 yards from goal, led to an innocuous direct kick chance that went out for a goal kick.

Spain left back Joan Capdevila missed a ball at the far post on a corner kick, the defenders right foot swung late on a ball flicked from the near post by Carles Puyol, missing a chance at a goal guarded only by a Dutch player standing at the near post.

Xavi Hernandez delivered the corner on a line to the near post, with Puyol jumping over his mark to get a touch on to the far post. Capdevila was unmarked and had a chance to get his right foot on the ball but missed the opportunity to put Spain ahead in the 48th minute.

It appeared unintentional, but Wesley Sneijder was fortunate to avoid the Netherlands’ fourth yellow card of the half after his wayward attempt on a 50-50 ended with the bottom of his boot in Sergio Busquets’ leg. Sneidjer was given a “talking to” by Howard Webb but was let-off without a booking.

The resulting free kick, from 45 yards out by Xabi Alonso, was rocketed four feet to the left of goal, the strike giving the crowd a moment of excitement in the 41st minute.

Perhaps the Netherlands’ best chance of the young match failed to produce a shot on goal, the Dutch possibly wasting their chance to exploit Spain on a corner kick.

From the right of goal, Arjen Robben played a corner kick along the ground to the edge of the penalty area, where Mark van Bommel one-touched it to the left of goal for an open Joris Mathijsen. The center back’s footwork failed him, and his attempt to open his left foot on the pass missed.

Submitted for your approval, the offense that earned Nigel de Jong a yellow card in the 28th minute of today’s World Cup final between the Netherlands and Spain:

Two more yellow cards have been given out in Johannesburg, bringing the total to four shown by referee Howard Webb in the match’s first 23 minutes.

Dutch midfielder Mark van Bommel has picked up a yellow card in the 22nd minute, sliding through the back of Andres Iniesta, taking up the Spanish midfielder.