Puyol powers Spain to first final

SO we will have new world champions for the first time on Sunday, when Spain meet the Netherlands in Soccer City, but will we have a world-class game?

Spain edged past Germany last night to reach their first ever World Cup final, thanks to Carles Puyol’s 73rd minute header, but it was another game that fell below the expectations of the watching world.

The Spanish won’t mind that it was a cagey encounter, more of a chess match than the sort of thrills and spills we prefer from cup football.