The European Champions made history in Durban with a 1-0 win against Germany. Carles Puyol powered home a Xavi corner with just under 20 minutes remaining as Spain sealed a place in Sunday’s final.

Fernando Torres came on for the final ten minutes of the semi-final contest helping to defend his side’s slender advantage.

Spain enjoyed lots of early possession as Germany sat back deep in their own half. The first chance for the Red Fury came on seven minutes. Pedro sliced open the Germany defence with an excellent pass into Villa, but the striker’s shot was blocked by Neuer, who had raced off his line to close down the angle.

Vicente Del Bosque side’s created another good chance five minutes later as a well-worked corner was whipped into the box by Iniesta. Fellow Barcelona teammate Carles Puyol met the midfielder’s cross six yards out, but the fall flew marginally over the bar.

Although Germany were creating very little in attack, the Germans were looking dangerous form set-pieces. Casillas at full-stretch managed to palm a cross behind, before another corner from Ozil flashed across the face of goal.

Loew’s side looked to have weathered the early storm and Casillas had to be alert to turn behind a Trochowski shot from 25 yards.

Vicente Del Bosque’s side came out in the second-half intent on breaking the deadlock with three shots on goal in the opening five minutes. Xabi Alonso on two occasions and Pedro, with a left-foot effort, both fired just wide of the German goal.

Pedro’s next shot was on target, but Neuer parried low to his right. The rebound fell to Iniesta whose cross just evaded Villa at the far post. The attack was still on, as Pedro drilled a shot just wide from the edge of the box.

The European Champions were dominating the shot count 11-2, but despite their control, Iker Casillas was Spain’s saviour on 68 minutes. The keeper produced an excellent low save to deny Kroos after the German substitute had been picked out by Podoloski.

Spain finally broke down the German defence on 73 minutes. A corner-kick from Xavi was met with a bullet header from Puyol which Neuer could only flap at.  Spain were now just under twenty minutes from a place in the final.

Germany threw everyone forward in a desperate search for an equaliser, but Casillas was rarely troubled as his back-line held firm.

Spain could and should have doubled their lead in the dying minutes, but Puyol’s goal was enough to see the European Champions through to their first World Cup final.


- Match Stats: Spain 1-0 Germany

Spain: Casillas, Capdevila, Puyol, Pique, Ramos, Busquets, Xabi Alonso (Marchena, 90+3), Xavi, Villa (Torres, 81), Iniesta, Pedro (Silva, 85).

Goals: Puyol 73

Germany: Neuer, Boateng (Jansen, 52), Mertesacker, Friedrich, Lahm, Schweinsteiger, Khedira (Gomez, 80), Özil, Podolski, Trochowski (Kroos, 62), Klose.