Iniesta Winner Crowns Spain World Cup Champions

Andrés Iniesta scored a 116th-minute winner as Spain lifted the FIFA World Cup for the first time after defeating ten-man Netherlands 1-0 in Johannesburg.

Having been played in by substitute Cesc Fàbregas, Iniesta drilled across Maarten Stekelenburg with penalties looming at Soccer City. That came seven minutes after John Heitinga was dismissed for pulling down the FC Barcelona midfielder. Arjen Robben had earlier squandered the best chance of normal time for the Oranje when one on one with Iker Casillas, a miss which was ultimately to prove costly as the European champions condemned their opponents to a third World Cup Final defeat and became the first nation to win the crown after losing their opening game.

Sergio Ramos almost headed Spain into the lead inside five minutes, forcing Stekelenburg into a diving save from Xavi Hernández's delivery. Spain were showing few signs of nerves in their first World Cup showpiece, with Ramos again to the fore soon after, skipping past Dirk Kuyt and driving in a shot which Heitinga scooped over his crossbar. From the resulting short corner, David Villa volleyed into the side netting.

The Oranje gradually found their feet but any attempts either side made at settling into a rhythm were hindered by a plethora of fouls in midfield, resulting in five bookings by the 28th minute. Save for Spain's early opportunities, neither team had functioned as an attacking force, though Iker Casillas had to be alert on the cusp of half-time to turn away Robben's near-post shot.

Little had been seen of two of the players leading the tournament's scoring charts, five-goal duo Villa and Wesley Sneijder, until the latter's perfectly weighted pass fashioned the best chance of the match. However, Robben, with time to pick his spot, had his effort kept out by Casillas' outstretched right leg.

That was the cue for the game to open up, with Villa next to wonder how he failed to score midway through the half, Heitinga atoning for miscuing Jesús Navas's cross at the far post by somehow blocking the striker's shot. Like his team-mate, Ramos had his head in his hands moments later after nodding over Xavi's corner when unmarked eight metres out. With extra time approaching, Casillas was quick to smother at the feet of Robben after the winger outstripped Carles Puyol.

Fàbregas passed up the clearest chance of extra time when he was denied by the legs of Stekelenburg, who was then thankful for Giovanni van Bronckhorst deflecting Navas’s shot wide. Heitinga was dismissed in the 109th minute but just as it seemed penalties would be required, up popped Iniesta to win it for the European champions.

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