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Spain Jubilant After Country Wins World Cup

12 July 2010 22:52 (UTC +04:00)

Baku â€“ APA. There was jubilation in Spain, dismay in Holland - after Spain beat the Netherlands 1-0 in the World Cup final football match in South Africa. It was Spain’s first World Cup championship, APA reports quoting â€œThe Voice of Americaâ€.

More than 100,000 people flocked to central Madrid to watch the game on giant TV screens Sunday. It was a long night filled with anxiety and emotion as Spain played Netherlands in a game marked by rough play and fouls. It was well into overtime play when Spain’s Andres Iniesta scored and effectively clinched the game and the trophy.

A moment worth waiting for for Spanish fans: cries of joy. And then the street parties began amid blaring car horns and impromptu fireworks.
Spain was already European champion and had now secured the world title as well.

Meanwhile, it was understandably a muted night amid great disappointment in the Netherlands as fans there watched their team go down to defeat.

It was the third time the Dutch team had come close. They were defeated in previous World Cup finals in 1974 and 19’78.

They "Fought Like Lions" read the headline of one Dutch newspaper the morning after. A planned victory parade has been scrapped in Amsterdam, but a warm welcome home for the team was in the offing.

A triumphant Spanish team returned home to more celebrations.