Group H is poised to have an exciting final group game. with Chile leading the group on 6 points, Spain and Switzerland following up on 3 points a piece and Honduras propping up the table yet to register a point. You'd think that would be enough for Chile but with their final game against Spain, and Switzerland's final game against Honduras it all becomes quite tense. Spain need to win to guarantee progression, Chile need a point, and Switzerland also need a win and hope Spain don't win by a hatful. It could all come down to the goals you scored against Honduras. Exciting times indeed.
Watching Chile today, heir 100mph style of play was exciting to say the least. The first half left a little to be desired and the referee tried his best to be the main talking point. Brandishing 4 yellow cards in the opening 20 minutes and then a red after an hour. in the end the game had 9 yellow cards to compliment the red in a relatively even tempered affair. Behrami can't have too many complaints for his red, both elbows were used on two different players. Chile played with verve and tempo which at times was their undoing. The sheer pace they play the game with made some decisions rushed and sloppy. I'm not sure how they'll cope with the Spanish as they look a team who could be poicked apart by the short one touch Spanish style. Though they hunted the Swiss down in packs, pressing the ball and cutting out options with relish.
The game really came alive in the second half, Greece broke the Italians record for longest time without conceding at the finals and once the Chileans had the ball in the net but ruled out for offside, it started to look like Switzerland could come out with a point. they didn't threaten at all and were distinctly playing for the draw. Sanchez for Chile is a wonderfully busy player with bags of talent and superb strength and balance. Chile made the break through in the 75th minute when Paredes made a wonderfully timed run to break through on goal round the keeper and had the presence of mind to pick his pass and stand the ball up to the far post where Gonzalez headed into the floor and in off the underside of the bar, beating the defender. From this moment poor decisions and selfish play stopped Chile adding to their tally, they should have been a minimum of two clear when in the 90th minute Derdiyok is 12 yards out with just the keeper to beat after a sublime flick from Bunjaku and sidefoots it past the post. Paredes was the main culprit for Chile missing two glorious chances.
Chile now topping the group are in a rather precarious position, only beating honduras 1-0 leaves them hoping Spain and Switzerland don't find goals in plentiful supply. you fancy Spain to pick Chile apart as their style is electric but somewhat naive. At the same time, goals certainly aren't beyond them. They like other teams from South America are showing that at the moment Europe are somewhat overrated in footballing terms and the South Americans are the continent whose stylings shine brightest.
Switzerland whilst solid in defnece, putting bodies on the line, look clumsy and somewhat clueless going forward. There seems to be no fluidity in their attacking style of play. All but 2 players ook most comfortable in their own half, and some suffer the same glass wall syndrome as Jamie Carragher, once the halfway line looms into view they break out in sweats, shiver a little turn around and head back to the relative safety of their 18 yard box. It's footballers vertigo. Will they find goals hard to come by against Honduras, possibly, they should create chances, but pace, which has left Honduras vulnerable in both their games is in short supply in the Swiss camp.
Spain, as predicted came through unscathed and with a lovely sparkly clean sheet. They've played some delightful football, beautiful to watch. The possession stats will be happy rteading for the Spain management but the scoreline less so, for all their time on the ball just the 2 goals seems poor return, especially when you consider Villa missed a penalty. David Villa showed tonight why he's in such demand, and why Barca were prepared to part with 34 million Euros for his signature. As Jim Beglin said in a rare moment of clarity Spain play 'lovely not lethal' football. Villa was superb, he stated his intent early on with a shot that rattled the bar. It was almost as if he was finding his range as it took him just another 10 minutes to create a beautiful goal for himself ghosting past 2 players into the box and then launching a goal past the keeper. Beautiful. His second a deflected shot had the keeper beat. He was the star player for the Spanish, Xavi pulled his usual strings in midfield and Navas a real improvement on Silva, he made the pitch wider throughout leaving Xavi and Alonso with the luxury of time and space in the middle of the park.
Torres looked slightly off the pace tonight and had chances to get his name on the score sheet, a header that was bread and butter 6 months ago glanced off his head and over the bar, a couple of shots not quite the clean strike taken as second nature, but there's plenty of time for him to find his goalscoring touch and Lord help the team they come up against then. Pique and Puyol had little to do, Busquets was kept busy but not stretched.
Honduras could have been slightly worried before the game start after Portugal's performance earlier in the day. Instead, they can come away with pride having been throughly out played but only conceding the 2 goals through luck, a little good defending and some poor decisions. They are the only team with no chance of progressing, but I think they'll give the Swiss a game, they haven't got too much pace to worry about in the Swiss side and may even create a few chances of their own as the Swiss will have to push forward in search of a win.
This group is going to have a stunning finish, who knows who we'll be seeing in the last 16, it is guaranteed that one will be Spanish speaking, my hunch would be both.
S
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