Spain and the Netherlands even at 0-0 after 75 minutes of foul-filled World Cup final

Spain and Netherlands even at 0-0 after 75 minutes

JOHANNESBURG — Even with Spain dominating possession, it was the Netherlands that had the best chance to score a goal after 75 minutes of Sunday’s foul-filled World Cup final.

Arjen Robben took a through ball from playmaker Wesley Sneijder and went one-on-one with goalkeeper Iker Casillas, but his 62nd-minute shot was kicked out for a corner by Casillas’ right foot.

Before that, it was Spain that had the best chances to take the lead and win their first World Cup.

Defender Sergio Ramos sent a header from Xavi Hernandez’s cross on target, but goalkeeper Maarten Stekelenburg made the save in the fifth minute. Spain striker David Villa’s left-foot volley from Xabi Alonso’s cross then hit the side-netting in the 12th.

The best chance for the Netherlands came in the 18th, but Sneijder’s 30-yard free kick went into the waiting hands of Casillas.

Two minutes later, Robben ran down the left, but the Spain defense cleared the ball out for a corner.

The Bayern Munich winger had another chance in injury time, making his usual move of stepping toward the area and trying to curl a left-foot shot into the net, but Casillas knocked it out for a corner.

But the match was not pretty for much of the first half, with the Dutch committing 11 fouls and the Spanish contributing five.

The worst came in the 28th when Netherlands midfielder Nigel de Jong was lucky to escape with only a yellow card after kicking Alonso in the chest while going for a ball.

Pedro Rodriguez, who was starting in place of Fernando Torres for the second straight match, also had a chance for Spain after running through the middle in the 38th, but his shot went wide right. Alonso then sent a free kick wide.

Both Spain and the Netherlands are playing for their first World Cup title. The Dutch have twice lost in the final, in 1974 and ‘78, while Spain is playing in the title match for the first time.