Finals Preview: Paul the Octopus Predicts Spain Will Beat Holland... Is He Right?
I don’t want to completely put down the tournament as rather boring (something English commentator Andy Gray has already gone on record with), but hopefully this final can leave everyone with good feelings about the sport for the next four years. It not only matches two teams who have never hoisted the trophy, but it also matches two of the most exciting teams in the world right now. Spain entered as the favorite to win the tournament and Holland has won 14 straight games to reach this stage. The quality on offer couldn’t be much higher.
The best way to add excitement to the game will be for the Dutch to score first. Spain’s possession offense can really slow the game to a sleepy pace, but the tempo might increase should they start to panic after falling down a goal. Holland has the ability to make this happen because they have some of the most creative players in the world. They showed their offensive prowess by scoring three against Uruguay and there are possibilities for goals against Spain. Spain has shown cracks in its defense against Portugal and Paraguay, but neither team was skilled enough to finish. The Germans just didn’t look themselves against Spain, so Holland hopes that that won’t happen to them, too.
All of this is easier said than done. Things look to be going Spain’s way. No European team has ever won the World Cup when not playing on their home continent, but we know that’s going to happen this year. No team has ever won the World Cup after losing its first game, but maybe that’s happening this year as well with Spain as the favorites. They haven’t looked magical winning their games, but they always seem to somehow find a way. Their confidence is high after beating the Germans and it’s the Dutch team whose defense faced more pressure entering the tournament and has yet to be tested.
La Furia Roja seem on the cusp of holding both the European Championship and the World Cup. They’ve been the best team in the world over the last four years. There’s no reason to think any differently now…
Prediction: Spain 2, Holland 1
Best Bets:
Spain (-0.5) EVEN
Over 9.5 Corners -138
