Wait until next year

Wow. What a goal. And the Dutch are in the final. They have been the curate’s egg of the tournament, good in parts, but awful in others. However, they are the only team to have not only won every game, but to have won every game within ninety minutes. Come Sunday they will probably be the outsiders, as Germany and Spain are bound to be more fancied, yet it would be a fool who ruled them out.

They are one of the few sides to successfully come from behind to win a game, against Brazil no less, and looked strong last night against a determined Uruguay side, successfully managing to fight off two comebacks.

Wesley Snijder has to be a strong candidate for player of the tournament, Arjen Robben is capable of turning any game on its head, and the footage above shows there is plenty of depth when it comes to goalscorers and flashes of brilliance.

And a word of praise for Liverpool’s Dirk Kuyt – easily the Premier League’s best performer this World Cup.

So, who wins tonight’s game? It will take a braver man than I to predict that one. I can see it being an edgy encounter, unless we get an early goal or two. If the latter happens, we could have a classic on our hands. Otherwise, it may be a nailbiter, with just the one goal in it. Or, dare I say it, the dreaded penalties.

Germany have looked strong, but mainly against gung-ho attacks and frail defences. Serbia were well-organised, and beat them. Spain, meanwhile, have faced opponents parking the proverbial bus in front of goal, and so have had to take their time unlocking the defence. You would imagine matters might be a little different tonight, depending on if Germany push forward, or rely on the strength of their counter-attacking abilities.

At the very least, it should be intriguing to see two quality sides try to out-think one another. If Spain can keep the ball, will Germany get frustrated, push forward, and leave themselves vulnerable at the back? If Germany can hit Spain effectively on the break, will Spain get pulled apart in the same manner as England and Argentina? I can’t wait to find out.