I am your new god.

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While a 3-2 scoreline would suggest a classic, it was hardly that.  But it wasn't drudgery either.  To the points..

-I'm gonna go ahead and state the Goal of The Competition debate is pretty much over.  Generally, when you rasp one in from 40 yards there's some element of keeper error.  Not here.  Van Bronckhorst's effort was something Zeus would have been proud of.

-At about 2:15, one of my compatriots at Second City Hockey, GMH, updated her Facebook status to : "Diego Forlan why are  you like this?"  I have to ask the same question.  When the entire world knew that he was Uruguay's only threat, he still managed to find space and score from outside the box.  There's some sort of higher force at work here.

-If someone could explain what Edinson Cavani does for a living, life will be much easier for me.  I think I'll probably go the rest of my life frustrated that this man has played in a World Cup, and I won't.

-Unlike Ian Darke, I'm not convinced Sneijder's goal should have been ruled out for offside.  Van Persie was assuredly interfering with the shot, so if he was in an offsides position it should have been ruled dead.  But from the replay he looked awfully close to even when Wesley let fly.  Tight one, hardly scandalous.  By the way, did any of you wager a ref from Uzbekistan would be the best one of the tournament?  If you did, drinks are on you.

-Harkes is even worse when he's trying to make fun of Darke, who's only about 384 times the broadcaster he is.

-The Dutch have never looked awe inspiring, but it would be folly to doubt them now.  Still, a rather less-than-punchy Uruguay squad dented twice, and had their fare share of possession.  And in-form Villa or Mueller?  I doubt anyone's keeping a clean sheet in the final.

Germany-Spain

-I'm sure there's a whole revenge factor angle being played up in Germany, as Spain pretty much wiped the floor with them in the Euro Final two years ago.  Different German team this time, but I don't know they're more well suited.  Their last two opponents featured a midfield of either the paceless Lampard and Barry with Gerrard firing from all angles in his "With a dry cool wit like that I could be an action hero" routine, and a Argentine midfield that only had Mascherano as a holder with Di Maria and Maxi Rodriguez played woefully out of position.  Alonso and Busquets behind Xavi is a whole lot more intimidating.  They're not blessed with speed, but you don't need it that much if you always have the ball.

That said, the Germans seem perfectly comfortable to not have the ball.  But Spain has only been caught on the break twice this tournament, with the Swiss scoring and the Paraguyans missing a penalty.  They don't play at a high enough pace to get caught out too much, and Del Bosque is a bit more....competent let's say, than Maradona.  The German backline looked ropey for a good half hour against a simply awful England side.  They kept Argentina out for sure, but again, coached by a muppet.  If Del Bosque decides to feel Fabregas instead of Torres, Schweinsteiger and Oezil will be choked out of it.  If he brings in Navas, he'll expose the space left when either Lahm or Badstuber go all Athos and Aramis up the field, or keep them at bay.  Simply too many weapons in red.