Spain 1-0 Germany
Well this wasn't quite the game that everybody hoped for though it was tremendously absorbing. I was hoping that the clash of styles would allow us to see a flowing game with chances at either end. What we actually got was somewhat of a stalemate. The Spanish are just so damn good at keeping the ball that Germany did tend to just sit back and instead of absorbing the pressure and catching them on the break, just try and enmesh Spain and suffocate their artistry. Having scored so many goals in previous games, the Germans were a little disappointing in adopting this approach - it was a real case of irresistible force meeting immovable object.
It was fitting therefore, that Spain's own immovable object, Charles Puyol was the man who broke the deadlock and won the game with his thumping / towering header from Xavi's corner with just about 20 minutes remaining. Coach Vicente Del Bosque had started the match without the misfiring Fernando Torres, opting instead to play Pedro with David Villa as a lone striker. Spain controlled large chunks of possession, but couldn't find away through the German defences. Nevertheless, Puyol really should have opened the scoring on 14 minutes from the excellent Iniesta's cross, but he could only hit the camera crane.
In the end it was Spain's patience which won the day as it has so many times before in this tournament. It is strange that they haven't scored more than 1 goal in any game since the group stages - their possession and mastery of any situation it seems have allowed this strange set of circumstances. The Netherlands will present a different challenge on Sunday night - offering a bit more of a varied approach than the Germans. That said, I believe that Spain will have too much for them, but after going one down to Brazil many people had similar thoughts about them them. Van Persie and Robben are dangerous players, perhaps more so than anything the Germans had to offer and with Wesley Sneijder having a very good tournament he will be one to watch also.
