It is slightly odd that a comparatively poor game involving Holland and Uruguay boasted five goals while a match of high intrigue was won by a single goal. Nevertheless, that’s what happened and we are blessed with a World Cup final featuring two teams never have to won it, namely Spain and Holland.

Holland’s 3-2 victory over Uruguay was deserved, but their usual ‘cool’, evident in every match in this tournament to this point, abandoned them towards the end as Uruguay applied pressure, desperate themselves to reach the final.

Goals came first from Giovanni van Bronckhorst, a delightful screamer from 35 yards out wide on the left, then an equaliser from Diego Forlan, equally spectacular from distance. We settled in for what we hoped would be a classic, but it didn’t happen. The Dutch were finding Uruguay difficult to break down and without Sneijder and Robben could have lost this.

But in those two Holland have match winners. Both scored within three minutes of each other to give the Dutch a seemingly unassailable 3-1 lead with 17 minutes left. Uruguay tried hard, pressing and unnerving their opposition, even scoring a late, late goal through Pereira, but Holland hung on to reach their first World Cup final since 1978.

Spain beat Germany through a surprising source, Carlos Puyol heading home a Xavi corner with venom, but were again below their own high standards and Germany will rue defending so deep as with more pressure they might have wont this.

Germany’s success so far has come from the counter attack, breaking on opponents quickly, but they got no such opportunity against Spain and were slowly pushed back by the Spanish passing game, though they allowed very few actually chances.

What made this game so intriguing was the battle between Spain’s clearly superior passing ability and Germany’s discipline and shape. In the end, it was the passing that won out, as Spain threatened more and more, especially in the second half and the breakthrough via Puyol with 17 minutes left was deserved.

Seriously, if Germany had pressed for victory themselves instead of looking for the counter attack they could have won this but once again Spain’s patience paid off and they have the opportunity to win their first World Cup on Sunday.

I’m shockingly bad at predictions but I’ll give it another go in my World Cup Final preview over the weekend. I’ll say now, though, that I am anticipating a very good final.