The 2010 FIFA World Cup will end this weekend with the reigning European champion facing off against the Netherlands for the very first time.
Thursday 8th July 2010
A single goal scored by the head of defender Carles Puyol from a 73rd minute corner was enough to see Spain past Germany last night in Durban and set up the Iberian’s first-ever World Cup showdown with the Netherlands.
The reigning European champion will face the Netherlands in Johannesburg on Sunday evening with most online bookmakers picking Spain to win the match and take home the 2010 FIFA World Cup.
Spain has never met the Dutch in a World Cup match despite participating in twelve of the tournaments before South Africa. Even so, Bwin.com is offering odds of 6/11 on a victory for ‘La Furia Roja’ over the Netherlands in normal time while Coral.co.uk is currently showing Evens.
Slightly longer, bettors can get odds of 21/20 on a Spanish victory on Sunday in 90 minutes from VictorChandler.com, ToteSport.com, ExtraBet.com, BoyleSports.com and SportingBet.com while WBX.com lists 107/100.
Spain has entertained at the tournament with its slick and fast-paced movement of the ball and the match against Germany saw it become only the third side to ever complete 3,000 passes at a single tournament since the statistic was first tracked starting in 1966.
However, passing counts for very little if the ball is not put into the back of the opponent’s net and Betfair.com and BetDaq.com are going with odds of 27/25 on a Spanish win in normal time this weekend followed by Bet365.com, Bodog.com, BlueSq.com, Ladbrokes.com, SkyBet.com, WilliamHill.com, StanJames.com, PaddyPower.com and 888Sport.com offering 11/10.
The Netherlands booked its spot into the final of the 2010 FIFA World Cup after defeating Uruguay on Tuesday by the odd goal in five and will now look to do something its predecessors in 1974 and 1978 couldn’t by winning the tournament.
Coincidently, the Netherlands has also completed 3,000 passes at a World Cup tournament but that was in 1998 when the side finished in fourth spot behind France, Brazil and Croatia. The current team of manager Bert Van Marwijk is a much more subdued affair with Bwin.com showing odds of 16/11 that the Dutch can defeat Spain in 90 minutes to lift football’s ultimate prize.
Numerous football pundits have suggested that the ‘Flying Dutchman’ have room for improvement ahead of the final game and Coral.co.uk agrees as it is showing odds of 11/5 that the Netherlands will emerge triumphant after normal time while Bodog.com is offering 12/5 followed by 888Sport.com, BlueSq.com, Ladbrokes.com, ToteSport.com, ExtraBet.com and StanJames.com with 5/2.
The key to Dutch victory could very well lie in the performances of star midfield players Arjen Robben and Wesley Sneijder as the pair have combined to score seven of the side’s twelve goals at the tournament. SportingBet.com, BoyleSports.com and WilliamHill.com are offering punters odds of 13/5 that the Netherlands will defeat Spain in 90 minutes while SkyBet.com, PaddyPower.com, Bet365.com are going with 11/4. Longer still, Betfair.com, WBX.com and BetDaq.com currently list 69/25 followed by VictorChandler.com showing 14/5.
Should the match remain level after 90 minutes, the Netherlands and Spain will play two 15-minute periods of extra time, which is an eventuality ExtraBet.com is offering at odds of 2/1 followed by SkyBet.com with the slightly longer 21/10.
Neither side has yet drawn a match at this tournament with BlueSq.com, Coral.co.uk, SportingBet.com, WilliamHill.com, PaddyPower.com and 888Sport.com showing odds of 11/5 that Sunday will see the first. This is being followed by BoyleSports.com, Bwin.com, StanJames.com, ToteSport.com and Bet365.com with 9/4 and Ladbrokes.com and Bodog.com showing 23/10 while bettors can get 69/25 on a tie from WBX.com, BetDaq.com and Betfair.com.
