Match 64 (Final) - Netherlands v Spain - Post-Match Thread [R]

I'm having a hard time with all the "FIFA sponsored" and Spain dived their way to the win. Not being a fan for either side I wanted to see a good match and like all of us was greatly disappointed. I attribute the ugliest of this game to the Dutch who wanted to turn this into a hackfest from the first minute. They should have been down to 10 men in the first half after the beautiful UFC style kick by De Jong. Spain was the deserved winner.

 

How about beating Brasil?

And yes, Spain were diving all over the place today and they were rewarded for it. So the next time you want to complain about all the terrible diving you see in football, remember this game because it did nothing but encourage diving.

Of course, had the Dutch won, it would have encouraged hacking, so there you go. A very disappointing Final game from two teams who should both have lost and a referee who went a long way to deciding the outcome through yet another reffing error.

 

I disagree, going for first place doesn't mean more tactical, but that's to be discussed in the Uruguay vs Germany thread...

 

Are some of the Dutch fans actually complaining about diving? One of the worst diving displays of the cup was their match against Brazil. Honestly both of the finalists dived like crazy throughout the cup.

 

"Fishy?" He was onside and he pounded into the back of the net. One of the least "fishy" goals of the whole tournament.

 

Villas goal was offside against Portugal & if you look at capdevillas dive of the tournament, it pretty much sums up Spain diving their way to the WC trophy. Pitiful

 

I agree, congratulations Spain

 

Actually, there are several players from BOTH sides who should have been sent off at various points in the match. If Webb calls this game correctly, it would have ended with both teams down three players or more. The Netherlands hacked while Spain dove. On the balance, though, Webb's decisions went Spain's way. He was very inconsistent. And very disappointing from a neutral's point of view.

 

Congratulations Spain!!!!

Deserved It Today.

 

First pass was offside from what I saw, I'm having a hard time seeing if the man ahead of the ball was involved with the play, which would mean the play should not have held up. That is all.

 

It wouldn't be BigSoccer without them.

Michaeal Jackon did a VERY true song about the Man In The Mirror.
Like I will always say in regards a team vs refs and such, adapt and overcome, brother, adapt and overcome.

 

Did I just see a Catalan flag there? Nice

 

Well no surprise here. The usual Trolls, you can recognize them by name by now, are sprouting the usual crap.

 

What is NT?

 

Windows?

 

Alright, take it easy. I'd bet that any of the 2006 semi-finalists would have beaten this Spain.

 

As expected here in the USA. ESPN cuts out early and doesn't show them celebrate on the field. So much for full coverage, instead we get another U2 montage.

 

This wasn't even "tactical."

It was edgy, ill-spirited, timid, dominated by nerves.

I've seen tactics better applied in a MLS match. Thse guys were shaking in their shoes too much to even pay attention to tactics.

 

Could not agree more with you, this got out of hand quickly. All in all it was ugly soccer, but congrats to the Spaniards. Still feel as though there were more deserving teams that participated in this cup.

 

Web will be the best Spanish player of the tournement. K-U-T scheidsrechter!

 

i saw the worst world cup. i saw spain benefit of "red cards" against chile, portugal, and now holland.

heitinga barely touches iniesta gets sent off, meanqhile puyol tries to tackle robben, but because he doesn't dive for the first time in his life, nothing happens.

elia fouled outside the box= no call. clear corner on the free kick- nothing.

to me it reminded me of the ghana uruguay match, but ghana was so bad they take advantage of it, spain could.

obviously some calls went in favor of holland, they couldn't make it too obvious it was fixed. but in crunch time in the last few minutes, everything went for spain, just like it all went for ghana in the quarter final. pathetic

spain plays such boring football. they just pass it around and do nothing. i hope we see a real world cup with a real final in 4 years

i'm argentine and have spanish blood so i am not a complete hater, but to deny the biased refereeing makes no sense. i mean how many games did it take before spain finally picked up a yello card?

 

never happened