Andres Iniesta's late strike gives Spain their maiden World Cup title

Playmaker Andres Iniesta struck deep into the second half of extra time to give Spain their maiden FIFA World Cup title with a 1-0 victory over The Netherlands in a drama-filled summit clash here.

Iniesta scored the winner in the 116th minute after both sides were locked goal-less in the regulation 90 minutes in an ill-tempered grand finale yesterday which saw the ejection of Dutch defender John Heitinga in the 110th minute for his second booking and another 12 yellow cards being shown.

Spain, who had never gone beyond the quarter-finals before this World Cup, bagged world football's most coveted trophy after 13 appearances since 1934.

New world champions Spain, the eighth team in history to lift the World Cup, now join Brazil (five titles), Italy (four), Germany (three), Argentina (two), Uruguay (two), France and England.

Fittingly, a new world champion was crowned at the first World Cup in Africa which was one of the most successful editions in FIFA history, though the summit clash was well short of a classic thanks to the rough play of the footballers.

When captain Iker Casillas lifted the World Cup trophy from FIFA chief Sepp Blatter at the Soccer City Stadium in Soweto, reigning European champions Spain also shed the tag of perennial underachievers in world football.

On the other hand, The Netherlands failed to erase their agony of finishing losing finalists twice in 1974 and 1978 and remained world football's underachievers.

Spain also became the first European country to win the World Cup outside their continent, a feat that could not be achieved by Italy, Germany, England, and France.

La Furia Roja, as the Spanish football team is known, now join Brazil and Argentina who have World Cup triumphs outside their continental zone.

It has been a fabulous two years for Spain who won the European Championships in 2008 — their second after 1964 — and now have become world champions.

They are only the second side in history to be reigning European and world champions at the same time after West Germany, 1972 European champions and 1974 World Cup winners.

The first half of the final match was largely a dull contest of midfield domination which no side could do well, but the second session and extra time dished out an exhibition of fast-paced and open football with both sides wasting chances galore.

Playing in their first World Cup clash, both sides, known for playing free-flowing football with quick passing, were scrappy in the opening half which lacked quality but abounded in fouls.

Vicente Del Bosque's side, who tamed Germany in the semifinals with a mesmerising passing game, failed to repeat their performance on Sunday, losing the ball too early to break the chain of possession.

The Netherlands made use of the nimble footedness of Arjen Robben and the Bayern Munich winger missed a golden chance which could have sealed the match in his side's favour. He was also unlucky not to have scored due to Spain defender Carles Puyol's clear foul though English referee Howard Webb did not spot it.

Spain could have taken the lead in the fifth minute but for a brilliant save by Dutch goalkeeper Maarten Stekelenburg. Xavier Hernandez curled in a free kick from the right and Sergio Ramos, who had earned the set piece after being fouled by Dutch captain Giovanni van Bronckhorst, headed in only to find Stekelenburg diving to his right to block it.

The Netherlands had their best and only chance of the first half in added time, but Robben's left-footer from the top right edge of the box was parried away from his near post by Spain keeper and captain Casillas.

In the 62nd minute, Robben could have given his side the lead, but he missed the best chance of the match, off a pinpoint defence-splitting pass by Wesley Sneijder, though he had only Spain's custodian to beat.

The advancing Casillas managed to deflect Robben's final push with his trailing leg for a corner.

In the 70th minute, it was Spain's turn to waste a chance. Jesus Navas, who came in for Pedro Rodriguez in the 60th minute, sent a cross from the right and it fell to Villa after slipping through Heitinga's legs. Villa, however, shot it over.

Spain missed yet another chance in the 77th minute when Sergio Ramos's free header in front of the Dutch goal off a corner by Xavi Hernandez flew over the bar.

Seven minutes from normal time, Robben surged ahead of Puyol who tugged the Dutchman's shirt trying to haul him back and Casillas raced off his line to snatch the ball almost from the winger's feet.

Robben raced up to referee Webb and demanded a booking for Puyol but was penalised with a yellow card instead for his loud protests. Puyol had already been booked in the first half and another booking would have meant the Barcelona captain and Spanish central defender would have had to leave the field.

The opening half of extra time saw Spain tighten the screws and press hard for a goal. They could have done that on three occasions. In the 93rd minute, Iniesta and Xavi Hernandez could not take the shots under close shadowing by Dutch defenders and David Villa's hit went wide.

Two minutes later, Cesc Fabregas, who came on for Xabi Alonso in the 87th minute, had only Maarten Stekelenburg to beat, but the Arsenal captain shot straight to the Dutch custodian.

Iniesta then took too long to shoot with only the keeper in front and the ball was quickly cleared by the chasing Dutch captain Van Bronckhorst.

Five minutes into the second half of extra time, Iniesta went down under a challenge by Heitinga just outside the box and the referee had no hesitation in showing the Dutch defender his second yellow card of the evening and he was ejected from the match.

Soon after came the goal that created history for Spain.

In the 116th minute, Fernando Torres, who took the field in the beginning of the second half of extra time, clipped a cross into the box for Fabregas who sent the ball onwards for Iniesta inside the box.

The Barcelona star took a touch before firing the ball into the net past a hapless Maarten Stekelenburg for Spain to be crowned the new world champions.