Germany 0-1 Spain: Puyol header sends Spain to final

Carles Puyol's second-half header was enough to send Spain into their first World Cup final.

Although Spain dominated possession in their last-four meeting with Germany in Durban, their opponents had just wasted an excellent chance to open the scoring themselves through Toni Kroos when Puyol struck.

The 32-year-old Barcelona defender rose highest to meet Xavi's corner and powered his header beyond Manuel Neuer to seal a deserved victory.

Fernando Torres paid the price for his failure to find the net in this World Cup by being dropped to the bench for Spain's World Cup semi-final against Germany.

Spain coach Vicente del Bosque made just one change from the team that overcame Paraguay in the quarter-final, bringing in Barcelona forward Pedro for the Liverpool striker.

Arsenal midfielder Cesc Fabregas had been in the running to start instead of Torres too but his knock in training on Monday may have counted against him.

Germany were without the suspended Thomas Muller - who had scored four goals in five games - and he was replaced by Piotr Trochowski.

The starting line-up for Spain were all at Spanish clubs last season and all the Germany XI played in the Bundesliga.

Although they have won so many admirers for the manner of their performances in South Africa, this promised to be an altogether different test for Germany.

Spain were aiming to become the first country to follow up European Championship success by lifting the World Cup since West Germany did the double in 1972 and 1974 and started with confidence.

Pedro threaded a superb ball through the German defence which David Villa slid on to.

But Manuel Neuer was out quickly and made a brave block.

Per Mertesacker headed a Pedro chip out of his own penalty area as Villa buzzed around dangerously once more.

Andres Iniesta almost dribbled into the German penalty area as Spain continued to dominate possession.

The Barcelona playmaker then drove a low cross into the penalty area following an intricate move from a corner which Carles Puyol flung himself at but sent a diving header soaring over

After spending the opening 14 minutes on the back foot, Germany finally won a corner which nearly caught Iker Casillas out.

The Spain skipper got himself out of position as he came to punch and ended up just pushing Mesut Ozil's set-piece away, although the intervention was crucial given Bastian Schweinsteiger and Arne Friedrich were lurking just behind.

Sergio Ramos drove an ambitious shot wide from a very acute angle, then Pedro just failed to collect Villa's lay-off as Spain regained the initiative.

It took a superb intervention from Mertesacker to prevent Pedro racing on to Xavi's pass.

Then, as Germany countered, Miroslav Klose opted to go it alone rather than roll a pass to an unmarked Piotr Trochowski and lost possession to the edge of the Spain box.

An attempted scissor-kick from Pedro failed to come off before Ramos' attempt to tackle Lukas Podolski only resulted in him stamping on the German's foot.

It took Germany almost half an hour to enjoy their first sustained period of possession, which Ozil brought to an end by launching a long ball for Klose which was far too heavy and rolled out for a goal kick.

Xabi Alonso tried his luck from long distance at the other end but the former Liverpool man's shot was off target.

Germany were starting to have more of the game and Trochowski had Casillas scrambling to his left to make a low save.

The Spain goalkeeper came out to punch a couple of crosses away shortly afterwards as Germany started to realise a more aerial route to goal may pay dividends.

Ozil wasted an opening when he tried, and failed, to skip past Puyol on the edge of the area when Podolski was better placed.

Germany might have had a penalty when Ramos stumbled into Ozil just before the break but referee Viktor Kassai waved away the claims.

Spain came out for the second-half with a greater sense of purpose.

Pedro embarked on a mazy run and then found Alonso with a lay-off, although the midfielder's shot was poor.

Alonso was much nearer the target when he charged onto Xavi's lay-off shortly afterwards, although yet again Neuer did not need to make a save.

Marcell Jansen replaced Jerome Boateng six minutes into the second period, although it did not prevent Xavi rolling a pass to Villa, although the curling shot was off target.

It was almost a replica of the first half, with Spain looking so assured in possession and Germany remaining vigilant at all times.

Pedro forced Neuer into another excellent save. Iniesta was onto the rebound in a flash, drilling it across goal where Villa, sliding in at the far post, just failed to make contact.

Spain continued the offensive, with Pedro firing wide on the same attack before Alonso chipped a cross into the box which bounced away for a goal-kick after Ramos had gone down in a tangle of bodies with Podolski.

Toni Kroos replaced Trochowski as Germany coach Joachim Low tried to inject some more invention into his team.

Germany sensed a breakthrough of their own midway into the second period when Podolski's chipped cross fell perfectly for the onrushing Kroos.

Casillas made a fine save though, which Spain used to maximum advantage.

Having forced a corner, Puyol again escaped the attentions of Germany's defence, running from deep to meet Xavi's inswinging effort with a firm header that had too much pace for Neuer as it flashed into the net.

Del Bosque introduced Torres for Villa nine minutes from time and the Liverpool forward should have scored immediately, only for Pedro to completely ignore him and lose the ball to Friedrich when all he had to do was pass it square.

Pedro was replaced by Manchester City new boy David Silva five minutes from time and Spain continued to keep the Germans out.