SOUTH AFRICA 2010 NEWS
Iniesta fires Spain to extra time glory: The name of Andrés INIESTA will be remembered forever in red and yellow hearts, as his 116th minute goal secured Spain’s first world title as they defeated the Netherlands 1-0 in the final of the 2010 Men’s World Cup in extra time at Soccer City in Johannesburg. The match was hotly contested throughout; the old record of six yellow cards in the 1986 final was shattered as referee Howard WEBB issued fourteen bookings, including a second to the Netherlands’ Johnny HEITINGA in the 109th minute. With the resulting man advantage, substitute Cesc FÀBREGAS found Iniesta in the middle of the area, who powered his famous shot past goalkeeper Maarten STEKELENBURG. Spain are now the eighth nation to have won the Men’s World Cup, and the Netherlands have now lost all three of their appearances in the final match.
Golden Ball to Forlán, Golden Boot and youth award to Müller: According to a media vote, Diego FORLÁN of Uruguay has won the Golden Ball as the top player of the 2010 Men’s World Cup in South Africa. His five goals and one assist propelled la Celeste to a shock fourth place. Two participants in the final, Wesley SNEIJDER of the Netherlands and David VILLA of Spain, won the Silver and Bronze Balls respectively. At the age of 20, Thomas MÜLLER of Germany was the runaway winner of the Best Young Player award, not least because his five goals and three assists at the tournament also earned him the Golden Boot. Villa and Sneijder, also with five goals and an assist, edged Forlán for the Silver and Bronze Boots respectively owing to their fewer minutes played. Spain claimed two more awards as Iker CASILLAS won the Golden Glove Award as the best goalkeeper, and the Spanish side as a whole earned the Fair Play award with only eight bookings, fewest amongst teams that advanced to the elimination phase.
Germany fight past Uruguay for third: Sami KHEDRA scored the winner in a back and forth encounter in Port Elizabeth in which Germany secured third place at the 2010 Men’s World Cup with a 3-2 win over Uruguay. Both teams did well to reach the semifinals, but it was Germany who ended up with bronze medals after taking an early lead from Thomas MÜLLER. Edinson CAVANI then equalised, and six minutes into the second half, a stunner of a goal from Diego FORLÁN put la Celeste in front. Marcell JANSEN pulled Germany level again with a header five minutes later. Finally, in the 82nd minute, Khedra’s header secured third place, but Forlán nearly sent the match to extra time with a thunderous free kick off the bar seconds before the final whistle. Germany finish in third place for the second tournament in a row as Müller, with five goals and three assists, moves atop the Golden Boot table.
Golden Boot leaders to go head to head: The Golden Boot award at the 2010 Men’s World Cup will be decided on the last day, as the joint leaders after the semifinals, Spain’s David VILLA and the Netherlands’ Wesley SNEIJDER, are expected to compete in the final match. Both have scored five goals and have one assist, but Villa is the current leader, having reached his mark in just 529 minutes played compared with Sneijder’s 532. Nonetheless, the possibility exists of another player passing both, as Germany’s Thomas MÜLLER and Miroslav KLOSE and Uruguay’s Diego FORLÁN and Luis SUÁREZ are all expected to play in the third place match. Suárez has scored three goals, whilst Müller, Klose, and Forlán have each scored four. Müller has also recorded three assists, Klose and Suárez one. In case of a tie in goals scored, preference is given to the player with more assists, and then to the player who recorded fewer minutes. [Sneijder’s total includes both goals in the Netherlands’ 2-1 quarterfinal win over Brazil; his first goal was initially ruled an own goal.]
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