WORLD CUP: Spain 1, Germany 0

DURBAN, South Africa, July 7 (UPI) -- Carles Puyol headed in a corner kick Wednesday, giving Spain a 1-0 victory over Germany and its first berth in the finals of the World Cup.

Puyol's goal in the 73rd minute allowed Spain to win all three of its elimination games 1-0 and move to Sunday's championship match against the Netherlands.

Germany, which entered Wednesday's match having scored eight goals its previous two games, will meet Uruguay in a third-place game Saturday.

Germany piled up 13 goals -- scoring four times in three different games -- en route to the semifinals but the Spanish defense, anchored by goalkeeper Iker Casillas, limited the Germans' chances throughout the game. Germany didn't have a shot on goal in the first 30 minutes and ended with just five tries, two of which were on goal.

Spain, however, was piling up the shots at German goalkeeper Manuel Neuer, and it was a set play that got the Spaniards into the finals.

Xavi set up for a corner kick to Neuer's right and placed the ball in the middle of the field outside the goal box. Puyol out-jumped everyone and headed the ball cleanly to the left of Neuer's outstretched hand.