Spain, Netherlands at 0-0 at halftime of World Cup final, with Spanish missing 2 chances

Spain and Netherlands even at 0-0 at halftime

JOHANNESBURG — Spain’s soft touch and quick passing game helped the European champions dominate possession after the first 45 minutes of a foul-filled World Cup final on Sunday, even though they were even at 0-0 with the Netherlands at halftime.

The Spanish controlled much of the play at Soccer City and had the two best chances early in the match as the vuvuzelas blared through the stadium.

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 playmaker Wesley Sneijder’s 30-yard free kick went into the waiting hands of Spain goalkeeper Iker Casillas.

Two minutes later, Arjen 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 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.