The not so 'Beautiful' Game

Early tackle: An unidentified man, right, is restrained by security staff after trying to place a hat on the World Cup trophy

Sunday at Soccer City, an ugly final showcased so many of the things that have enraged fans around the globe: tactical fouling, negative tactics, blown calls, and that cursed ball.

Fortunately the more attacking side won the battle whereas the Dutch were left cursing the referee for their own mistakes.

Capdevilla feels the pain

For the romantics of the beautiful game, yesterday’s game was hard to swallow, and the Dutch are a pale imitation of the Oranje side famous for it’s Total football. Spain at least won playing something close to the Beautiful Game. It at least attempted to play the triangular-passing style that has seduced many observers, despite the fact that foul after foul reduced it in the first half to ducking and covering.

Howard Webb set a record of handing out 14 yellow cards and 1 red card in a final, but was left with no choice with the early tackles flying in from both the sides. To add to that, there were various dives and kicking away of the ball which only added fuel to Webb’s decisions. Webb showed nine yellow cards to the Dutch – including two and a red to Everton‘s John Heitinga – and five to Spain.

There was no one touch football, no through balls, not because the teams weren’t capable of doing this but because they were busy clipping each others heels. Particularly Holland, were busy containing the Spanish midfield and in doing so committed some horrendous fouls. De Jong was lucky to have escaped only with a yellow card on a tackle over Alonso which reminded us of Karate Kid.

Still the Dutch blame the referee?

Van Bommel’s challenge on Joan Capdevila was bad enough and deserved a yellow but was given one when he took out Andres Iniesta. Sergio Ramos and Van Persie earned in the not so coveted list of yellow carded players . The first half alone saw five bookings, three for the Dutch and two for Spain as Holland sought to break up Spain’s rhythm by getting their foot in.

After the break Webb’s book was out again ,this time Giovanni van Bronckhorst the offender for a professional foul on Sergio Ramos.

Heitinga and Spain’s Joan Capdevila were next in Webb’s growing list. Arjen Robben showed his frustration on the referee, protesting on being fouled by Puyol which earned him a yellow.

Heitinga received his second caution and then red for bringing down Iniesta, where the latter looked like diving but the former got sent off. Mathijsen protested with the linesman and earned himself a yellow before Iniesta’s shirt removing act which got him a booking as well. Xavi made it 14 yellow cards for the match for kicking the ball away.

If you look back at the match you can’t help but feel that even more yellow or rather red cards could have been handed out by the referee who was booed by Dutch fans while receiving his medal. However, it was a highly entertaining wrestling match and not a World Cup Final.