HIGH - 5: WORLD CUP DAY 25

A look back at Day 25 of the 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa. Here we highlight the best PLAY, PLAYER, STORY, PICTURE and VIDEO of the day.
Play of the day: It was a play which brought Spain the World Cup for the first time in their history. It came in the 116th minute when Fernando Torres tried to cross the ball from the left for Iniesta at the far end.

But the defender intercepted it and it fell kindly to Cesc Fabregas who then fed the ball into the path of Iniesta-, who finished the move with a half-volley into the net something which hadn’t done despite both sides creating numerous opportunities.

Player of the day: Iniesta is our player of the final. Xabi Alonso was also bright on the night. But Iniesta kept going after every Spanish move was abruptly put to a halt by a foul from the Dutch. He was floating everywhere on the pitch trying to find an opening for Spain. In the end it was a play started and finished by Iniesta that produced the goal worth all the millions.

Story of the day: The biggest night in World football was rather overshadowed by some suspect refereeing from Englishman Howard Webb. He shelled out 13 yellow cards and one red card in the entire match. The referee succumbed to the pressures of the game and his whistle was louder than all the vuvuzelas at the Soccer City Stadium ceasing every play in motion. The players didn’t help either especially the Dutch with challenges like De Jong’s on Alonso that were punished lightly. By the end of it the players had started taking advantage of his refereeing more than any loophole in the opposition defence.
http://ndtv.footballindia.com/features/high_-_5_world_cup_day_25/features-specials-2010-july-features_specials20100711_50/features_article.aspx