semi-final

Netherlands 3 Uruguay 2 (Cape Town)
The Netherlands reached the final of the World Cup with a 3-2 win over Uruguay. Giovanni van Bronckhorst's stupendous shot from 40 yards rocketed into the top right corner to give the Dutch an 18th minute lead, but with 4 minutes of the half left Diego Forlan's swerving shot went past Stekelenburg to send the 2 teams into the break on level terms. Forlan tested Stekelenburg again with a free-kick in the 68th minute but this time the Dutch keeper got down to push his curling shot out for a corner and a minute later van Persie set up van Bommel whose shot across goal was parried by Muslera into the path of Robben who fired over the bar. Sneijder put the Netherlands ahead in the 70th minute when his shot from the edge of the area went past a group of Uruguayans and van Persie who may have been offside before going in off the base of the post, and 3 minutes later Robben picked his spot with a header to score off the inside of the post and give the Dutch a cushion. With 4 minutes remaining Robben received the ball from van Persie in a counter-attack but his weak finish left Uruguay with some hope and a minute into added-on time Gargano played a free-kick to Maxi Pereira who found the bottom left corner to pull a gaol back for Uruguay and ensure a tense finish to the game.

semi-final

Spain 1 Germany 0 (Durban)

Carles Puyol headed the winner for Spain against Germany to set up a meeting with the Netherlands in the World Cup final. In the 6th minute Villa stuck a foot out to meet a Pedro through ball in the box but Neuer was quick to make the block and 8 minutes later a header from Puyol flew over the bar. Trochowski drilled in a low shot from distance in the 32nd minute which Casillas turned behind for a corner and 5 minutes after the break Alonso tried a similar shot for Spain which flew wide. In the 58th minute Alonso teed up Pedro whose shot was kept out by Neuer and Spain picked up the follow up with Iniesta driving the ball across the face of goal and the sliding Villa inches away from making a decisive connection. Casillas got down to block a volley from German substitute Kroos in the 69th minute, but 4 minutes later the deadlock was broken when Puyol rose to meet a corner and head powerfully past Neuer in the German goal. Spain should have wrapped the game up in the 82nd minute when Pedro was through on goal with Torres in support but his indecisiveness meant that the Spaniards had to hold on for another 8 minutes plus stoppage time before they could celebrate their very first World Cup final.