Germany 0 Spain 1 - Semi-final Game

Vanue at Moses Mabhida Stadium, Spain bits Germany 1 - 0. Climbing high: the shaggy-maned Carles Puyol gets above his marker to power in Spain's opener

SO the real Spain finally showed up.

They might have left it late in the day but, my God, it was worth the wait.

Three weeks ago they lost their opener to Switzerland in the same Durban Stadium and were written off by many as a team who would never beat their World Cup jinx.

Last night, Vicente del Bosque's European champions reached their first World Cup Final as they showed the millions watching round the globe how football can, and should, be played.

Vast sums had poured in on a German side who had steamrollered their way past England and Argentina - in the process becoming the first team since Pele's fabled 1970 Brazilians to score four goals three times in a finals.

But the great German juggernaut was finally driven off the road by a Spain side who confirmed just why they were pre-tournament favourites.

So now it's the Furias Rojas - the Red Fury - against the Clockwork Orange in Johannesburg's Soccer City on Sunday.

And you fear for Holland after the way Spain last night rose to the occasion when it mattered most.

The winner came from skipper Carles Puyol with a thunderous header from Xavi's 73rd-minute corner.

It was a prodigious leap from Puyol, climbing above a German defence that had probably surprised themselves with the way they had survived so long against a team playing such imperious football.

And it made up for the header Puyol had missed from Andres Iniesta's cross after just 14 minutes - the early goal that could have seen Spain rack up the sort of tally the Germans had been helping themselves to all tournament.

It was a magnificent contest between two European heavyweights.

Spain enjoyed much of the possession, created a string of chances and yet the Germans, though outplayed for long spells, refused to surrender.

But there was no doubt the right side reached the final.

Against the form team of the tournament, they ultimately proved their class with stupendous displays in midfield from Barcelona team-mates Xavi and Iniesta.

If you want to gauge the exact class of this irresistible double act, it comes in the statistic that though Cesc Fabregas is the youngest player to win 50 caps for Spain, he still cannot get past the old maestros.

And if you want to gauge the exact class of this Spain team, it comes in the fact that last night Spain could even afford to drop Fernando Torres, widely regarded as one of the world's greatest strikers and the scorer of the goal that saw Spain beat Germany at Euro 2008.

We have witnessed some great contests out here in South Africa.

But what could be more mouthwatering than a final that sees the Xavi-Iniesta-inspired Spaniards go head-to-head with Holland's own diminutive magician Wesley Sneijder.

And Arjen Robben. And the rest.

The great Bastian Schweinsteiger knew he was going to have his work cut out last night against the most quickly rotating midfield in world football.

As such, he was immediately tracking Xavi just as he had Lionel Messi in the quarter-final.

But he was nowhere to be seen as the Spain playmaker put in David Villa in the seventh minute for a shot that came thudding back off Manuel Neuer's left knee.

Seven minutes later they went even closer when Puyol headed over from just six yards. Iniesta and overlapping full-back Sergio Ramos were tearing Joachim Low's side apart down the right while Xavi's artistry was already bringing 'oles' from the crowd.

At the other end, the only cheer for the German fans was when Iker Casillas flapped at a corner.

Spain were all over the Germans, playing exquisite touch football with Low's side shovelling back desperately in defence.

But in matches of such immense consequence you have to take your chances. Germany showed exactly why when they almost took the lead themselves but for a fine Casillas save from Piotr Trochowski in the 32nd minute.

This was the confidence-booster the Germans needed after their slowest start to the tournament yet.

It was almost as if their young team were a little in awe of the established names in Spain's line-up, men with European Championship and Champions League medals pinned proudly to their chest.

And yet the Germans had a huge shout for a penalty turned down just on the stroke of half-time when Mesut Ozil went crashing in the box under a challenge from Ramos.

Ozil, though, paid the price for looking more for the spot-kick than the shot.

Spain started the second half as they had the first with Xabi Alonso driving wide before Villa curled a trademark right-footer round Neuer's left post.

Then, in the 59th minute, there were another two glorious chances - Neuer saving superbly from Pedro and then Iniesta shooting across the face of goal.

Surely, they HAD to score? Surely, the Germans HAD to buckle? But, no, typically, it was Casillas tumbling to his left to beat out a shot from sub Toni Kroos to prevent the Germans taking the lead!

In the end, though, the Ruhr Dam burst as Puyol came flying in like a Wellington bomber.

Now we have a final every World Cup deserves. Final match will be played on 11th of July.