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The Hague - The Dutch media reflected online on Sunday night the "trauma" of the Orange Eleven's 1-0 World Cup defeat to Spain which it said had plunged the country in "deep mourning".
"Third trauma for Orange," read the lead story of the popular De Telegraaf daily, recalling the losses against Germany in 1974 and Argentina in 1978 in the only two other World Cup finals the Netherlands contested.
"The World Cup in South Africa will enter Dutch history as the third football trauma," it said.
Spain's Andres Iniesta "plunged the team and the Netherlands into deep mourning" with his extra-time goal, said the Algemeen Dagblad popular newspaper.
"After a blood-curdling evening in Soccer City, the World title remained just out of reach of the Orange Eleven," it added. "Spain was too good in the final, even it if only came to fruition in the second half of extra time."
"Netherlands Silver, Spain Gold," said the Christian daily Trouw.
"Spain defeated the Netherlands with a goal from Iniesta. It was a match without brilliant play."
"The dream is over, the Netherlands did not become World champions," said the public broadcaster NOS, next to a photograph of striker Wesley Sneijder seated on the ground with tears in his eyes.
