Germany, Spain seek final date with Dutch

Germany and Spain meet Wednesday in Durban for a World Cup final place against a Netherlands side that believes it can succeed where great Dutch footballers and coaches have twice failed.

The four-goal hammerings of England and Argentina in their last two outings have underlined the potency of rejuvenated Germany and their pace, power and clinical finishing has made a strong impression on Spain.

“I think Germany are greatly improved since 2008,” said coach Vicente Del Bosque referring to the team beaten 1-0 by Spain in the European championship decider.

“Their squad has undergone a renewal with important young players coming through but they have maintained the traditional values of German football. They have players of high quality with good technical skills.”

German counterpart Joachim Loew believes the progress of his squad over the last two years has been significant enough to give them every reason to believe they can turn the tables.

“After losing the 2008 final we were disappointed but you have to admit that Spain were clearly the best team in that tournament so they deserved to win,” confessed Loew.

“Two years on we have made a lot of changes, Spain not so many. In this tournament, in terms of how we have been playing, we have clearly come on several steps since 2008.”

Spain have been frustrated in South Africa by the determination of opponents to stop them playing but Del Bosque, Loew and their players expect an open encounter.

Injured Germany captain Michael Ballack believes the time has come for his country to secure the World Cup for the fourth time.

The 33-year-old admitted avenging the Euro 2008 final defeat would be difficult, but his compatriots could do it.

“It will be difficult to beat Spain tonight, but this is our time,” wrote Ballack in his column in The Times.

“Germany have been the best team in the World Cup and just have to keep it going. Spain deserved to win the European Championship final against us two years ago, but with the confidence we’ve gained from our past two performances (a 4-1 win over old foes England and a 4-0 humbling of Argentina), I think its our moment.”

Meanwhile, Dutch coach Bert van Marwijk reacted to his team’s 3-2 semi-final win over Uruguay by giving his players two days off before the squad hold their final training session Saturday.

Netherlands entered the World Cup as ‘dark horses’ rather than among the favourites because of repeated failures since finishing runners-up to hosts West Germany and Argentina in successive 1970s finals.

But as Dutch supporters painted Cape Town orange – the team colours – in post-match celebrations after the 3-2 semi-final win over Uruguay, Van Marwijk insisted his side must lift the trophy if they want to write themselves into football history.

“It is quite something we have achieved after 32 years, but we are not there yet and there is one more match to look forward to,” he stressed.

The former Feyenoord coach has instilled a strong team spirit into his squad by removing any hint of arrogance and insists his team think only of their next game.

“What happened before my time, with all due respect, I do not look at it,” said the white-haired 58-year-old, who replaced Marco van Basten after the Euro 2008 championship.

“I do things my way, we play good football and sometimes beautiful football, but in the past we started winning and got over confident. I try to tell my players there will always be a next match.”