Espana Top the Dutch, Paul the Octopus Knew All Along.
11 July, 2010
Espana- 1
Holland- 0
Final in extra time.
This has absolutely nothing to do with basketball, but I also like futbol and feel I should report on the most important soccer game every four years. Spain defeated Holland in extra time, needing nearly all 120 minutes to topple total football. Spain’s goal came in the 116 minute for Andres Iniesta on a thundering kick crossed past Dutch keeper Maarten Stekelenburg. Spain relied on what propelled the club to the pinnacle of football: tough defense and time of possession.
Spain controlled 59.3% of touches, a best for the World Cup champion since the stat has been tracked since 1966. The Dutch on the other hand could only complete 69% of its passes – the team has only completed less than 75% twice in the tournament. Along with their 10 game winning streak snapped, and their 25 game unbeaten streak broken, Holland adds another notch of infamy to their history, having lost all three FIFA World Cup Finals apperances (1974, 1978, 2010). Adding to their disgrace, the Dutch also handidly broke the record for yellow cards in a Finals match from 7 by xxxxad to 14 in this game, including a second for John Heitinga at the 109 minute forcing the Oranje to play shorthanded.
Despite Holland’s shortcomings, they had chances. Two breakaways by Arjen Robben were snuffed at the last second, one of which (a potential foul) drew enough ire out of Robben’s for a yellow card. Still, fate would seem to be against the Dutch. Paul, a common octopus from the Sea Life Centre in Oberhausen, Germany successfully predicted a Spanish victory. Used to divine match results for all of Germany’s World Cup games, plus the 2010 final, Paul was a perfect 8/8 in predicting the match winners. By placing a tasty snack (usually a mussel) in plastic containers labeled with either team’s flag, the octopus would choose its winner by eating that containers treat. Paul was also used in six of Germany’s Euro 2008 games winning four. That puts ol’e Paul’s career record at an incredible 12/14! Check out the chart from Wikipedia:
Opponent |
Stage |
Date |
Prediction |
Result |
Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 Poland |
group stage | 8 June 2008 | Germany | 2–0 | Correct |
 Croatia |
group stage | 12 June 2008 | Germany[2][20] | 1–2 | Incorrect |
 Austria |
group stage | 16 June 2008 | Germany | 1–0 | Correct |
 Portugal |
quarter-finals | 19 June 2008 | Germany | 3–2 | Correct |
 Turkey |
semi-finals | 25 June 2008 | Germany | 3–2 | Correct |
 Spain |
final | 29 June 2008 | Germany[2] | 0–1 | Incorrect |
| Opponent |
Stage |
Date |
Prediction |
Result |
Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 Australia |
group stage | 13 June 2010 | Germany[29] | 4–0 | Correct |
 Serbia |
group stage | 18 June 2010 | Serbia[29] | 0–1 | Correct |
 Ghana |
group stage | 23 June 2010 | Germany[29] | 1–0 | Correct |
 England |
round of 16 | 27 June 2010 | Germany[30] | 4–1 | Correct |
 Argentina |
quarter-finals | 3 July 2010 | Germany[23] | 4–0 | Correct |
| Spain |
semi-finals | 7 July 2010 | Spain[31] | 0–1 | Correct |
 Uruguay |
3rd place play-off | 10 July 2010 | Germany[32] | 3–2 | Correct |
Results not involving Germany
| Teams |
Tournament |
Stage |
Date |
Prediction |
Result |
Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 Netherlands vs. Spain |
World Cup 2010 | final | 11 July 2010 | Spain[33] | 0–1 | Correct |
