DURBAN, South Africa: Carles Puyol soared high to head in the goal that sent Spain into the World Cup final for the first time with a 1-0 win over Germany on Wednesday.
In a rematch of the 2008 European Championship final that Spain won by the same score, Puyol’s powerful header in the 73rd minute from Xavi Hernandez’s corner kick finally gave Spain the lead after it dominated from the opening whistle.
"The group deserves this but we want more," said Spain striker David Villa, who is level with Netherlands playmaker Wesley Sneijder with five goals as the tournament’s top scorer.
"We are happy to be in the final, that was our objective, but now we want to be champions."
Spain’s best previous World Cup finish was fourth in 1950, when the final round consisted of a four-team group.
In Sunday’s final at Soccer City, Spain will meet the Netherlands, which has also never won football’s biggest trophy.
Spain controlled throughout with its precision passing game, playing just the way it hoped to, but had trouble finishing until Puyol’s late strike.
At the final whistle, the veteran 32-year-old Puyol raised his arms in triumph as goalkeeper Iker Casillas jumped on the center back’s shoulders.
For much of the game, three-time champion Germany sat back and waited patiently to snuff out Spain’s attack, hoping to launch a counterattack that worked against England and Argentina but rarely took off in Durban.
Germany sorely missed suspended winger Thomas Mueller, who had scored four goals so far and was often able to out sprint opponents.
"In the last two or three years they have been one of the best and most united teams," Germany coach Joachim Loew said. "They circulate the ball well and we couldn’t play the way we like to play.
"We had great plans but it didn’t work out."
Loew seemed to think that Spain will also beat the Netherlands.
"They’ve won all the big games in the last year. It’s a good team that has played together now for two or three years," the Germany coach said. "I am sure the Spanish can win any game because they are dominant and it’s hard to contain their attack."
Spain, which had 13 shots on goal to Germany’s five, had never beaten Germany at the World Cup in three previous attempts.
"From defense through to attack I think we played a great game," Spain coach Vicente del Bosque said. "We’ve got another game in front of us, let’s see if we are able to control the ball. We’re in good shape physically, so let’s see if we can win."
At Euro 2008, Spain broke a 44-year major title drought, and the team has lost only two games since November 2006 — the last coming in its World Cup opener against Switzerland.
"We’ve shown that in the big moments we can grow even more," Villa said. "We should have scored more goals, but one from Puyol has put us in the final."
On a comfortable evening inside Moses Mabhida Stadium, Queen Sofia of Spain looked on from her seat between South Africa President Jacob Zuma and FIFA president Sepp Blatter.
The match got an early jolt when a fan carrying a vuvuzela ran onto the field four minutes in — suspending the match briefly until security officers forcibly removed the intruder.
Out of form Liverpool forward Fernando Torres was dropped from Spain’s lineup and Pedro Rodriguez was given his first national team start, complementing David Villa in attack. Torres hasn’t found the net in this tournament.
Spain set the tone early with its quick passing and Pedro set up Villa with a well-placed through ball in the sixth minute, but Germany goalkeeper Manuel Neuer did well to leave his net and block Villa’s shot.
In the 13th, Spain threatened again when a dangerous header by Puyol from the edge of the box went over the bar.
With Spanish players swarming around in bunches in midfield, Germany struggled to launch its counterattack, its passes either too short or too long to break through the defense.
The first serious threat from Germany didn’t come until the 32nd minute when Casillas dived to his left to push wide a long, low shot from Piotr Trochowski.
Germany playmaker Mesut Oezil strode through the center of Spain’s defense in first-half injury time but was muscled off the ball by Sergio Ramos. Hungarian referee Viktor Kassai turned down penalty appeals.
The second half started much like the first, with Spain taking the initiative.
Xabi Alonso sent a long shot wide in the 48th, then pulled in a little closer for another more dangerous attempt two minutes later, forcing Neuer to dive to his left, but the ball again sailed wide.
In the 58th, Spain produced two more chances — one right after the other.
First, Neuer saved an attempt from Pedro, then Andres Iniesta slid a cross through the box but Villa couldn’t reach it for what would have been a sure goal.
Germany hardly even approached Spain’s area until Lukas Podolski passed to second-half substitute Toni Kroos in the area in the 69th and Casillas stopped Kroos’ shot by the post.
Torres replaced Villa for the final nine minutes and immediately made an impact, sending Pedro striding upfield in the 82nd. But Pedro refused to give the ball back to Torres, wasting a chance to double Spain’s lead.
Germany will face Uruguay in the third-place match Saturday in Port Elizabeth.
"Tomorrow, we’ll have to try and encourage the team," Loew said. "Because there is one game left to play."
