By: Stephen Patterson
After defeating Germany 1-0, Spain will meet the Netherlands for the 2010 World Cup championship. It's the first time the Spanish team has made it to the final game in the tournament. Carles Puyol headed in the game's only goal midway through the second half and Spain was able to hold off Germany for the victory.
The championship game should be an intense match, with both of the tournament's leading scorers going head-to-head (Spain's David Villa and Netherland's Wesley Sneijder). It's also the first time since 1978 (Argentina-Netherlands) that both of the teams involved in the championship game have never previously won one.
Spain has never won the World Cup, and only recently ended a 44 year drought with their 2008 European Championship title. If they win the final game, it will be the first time a team has won the tournament after losing their first game (vs. Switzerland).
The 2010 World Cup has seen 29 games decided by just one goal, more than any other time in Cup history. The championship game will almost certainly come down to who can play the best defense, because both teams are capable of scoring in bunches. Making their third trip to the final game, I envision the Dutch team coming out victorious in the championship game.
The German team isn't done playing just yet, however, as they will meet Uruguay on Saturday in the 3rd Place game. Spain will play the Netherlands on Sunday in the championship game to determine the winner of the 2010 World Cup. Whoever pulls out the victory for the championship will hold bragging rights until the next World Cup in 2014.
