Spanish Tango

Bottles of Cava popped open in all corners of the luxurious Lap Garden Bar,in the 116th minute of the Fifa World Cup Final 2010,late Sunday night. Spanish fans could not hold back their joy after waiting patiently for almost two hours,as Andres Iniesta scored the only goal of the game,four minutes before the end of extra time. Over 450 people,several of whom had pre-booked the venue five days in advance,watched the match with ardent fervour as the two finalists collided head-on in an eventful match. Fans from both teams were present,proudly sporting Spanish reds or the Dutch orange. Roars of disappointment and screams of encouragement reverberated inside the lounge area each time one of the teams attempted to score,got a free kick,or a yellow card.

The club had an elaborate setup of fifteen flat screens projections,Spanish cocktails,world cuisine,face painting,and a Panasonic lucky draw competition to celebrate the culmination of the soccer frenzy of the past one month. Socialites,models,industrialists and diplomats from both countries let their hair down,or into an Afro wig even as Jaguar Motors,official sponsors of the evening,took the opportunity to showcase their luxury sports cars.

Earlier in the night,Dutch supporters at the venue were confidently cheering on for their home team,regardless of what the now-revered psychic octopus Paul had predicted. “Who cares what seafood thinks!” said one fan before erupting into loud cheers for Holland. Seven yellow cards,six corner kicks,and 28 fouls later,however,its seemed as if the eight tentacles in an aquarium far away had the perfect foresight. It was the Spanish fans who heaved a sigh of relief before partying in to the wee hours of the night.