Spain, Chile through to next round
Posted: Jun 25 2010
Spain netted twice in the first half through David Villa and Andres Iniesta against 10-men Chile to secure their passage to the last 16 of the 2010 World Cup.
Chile, who had Marco Estrada sent off and who pulled a goal back through substitute Rodrigo Villar, are also through to the next round after Switzerland could only draw with Honduras.
Spain started like a team with something to prove and had two early chances through Fernando Torres, but the Liverpool striker, still lacking match fitness, couldn’t make it count.
However, it was Chile who almost opened the scoring on nine minutes when Jean Beausejour’s pull-back found Mark Gonzales, but he ballooned his shot high and wide after losing his footing.
Marco Estrada then tested Iker Casillas with a stinging shot from 20 yards out, before Alexis Sanchez attempted an audacious chip from the right channel which Casillas had to flap away with uncertainty.
On 24 minutes a moment of recklessness from Chile goalkeeper Claudio Bravo handed Spain the lead. Bravo came a long way out to intercept Xabi Alonso’s long ball from the back, but his poor sliding clearance sailed straight to Villa, who dinked a sensational chip into the back of the net from 30 yards out.
Chile came charging forward immediately to look for a quick reply, but instead was Spain who added a second on 37 minutes through Iniesta, who side-footed home from the edge of the area after being set up by Villa.
In the build-up to the goal, Estrada tripped Torres on the edge of the box and he was subsequently shown a second yellow card, though replays suggested it was a very harsh call.
Marcelo Bielsa made two changes at the break, sending in forward Esteban Paredes and midfielder Rodrigo Millar, and it was the latter who put the cat amongst the pigeons when his shot on 48 minutes deflected of Gerard Pique and past Casillas into the net.
Chances were few and far between in the second half and, with 10 minutes to go, both sides basically stopped playing, happy to settle for the result which would see both of them through. It was a painful spectacle for the spectators in Loftus, but it worked as both went through, with Spain up against Portugal and Chile meeting Brazil.
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