The battle of Los Rojos.
World Champions and double European Champions Spain faced the South American Reds,
Chile. Spain were looking to bounce back from their embarrassing 5-1 defeat
against Holland in their opening game of the campaign, while Chile looked to
build on their victory over Australia. Following Holland’s win over Australia
earlier in the day, a Chilean victory would condemn Spain to the pits of
despair and throw them out of the competition.
Both teams started
brightly and the game was a lively affair. Spain wore their red kit, hoping to
banish the demons of the white kit they wore against Holland. Chile dressed in
all white. The stadium was awash with red, from both sets of fans supporting
their own favoured rojo. Barcelona midfielder and Spanish superstar Xavi was
dropped to the shock of many. It looked to have paid off as Spain were on the
ascendency but were unable to convert from the errors that Chile were forced
into. Diego Cost hit a wayward shot, while Claudio Bravo was equal to Xabi
Alonso’s close range effort. But this was as good as it got for Spain.
Chile found their
feet, and over powered their opposition. They counter attacked quickly and
Spain’s lack of pace was exposed. Vidal and Alexis Sanchez neatly worked the
ball through to Charles Aránguiz. His cut back found the composed Vargas who
took a touch to fool the panicking Casillas and placed it past him before Ramos
recovered. It was no less than Chile deserved.
 |
| Vargas wheels away to celebrate his opener as Casillas despairs |
Spain got worse from
then on in. Alonso couldn’t find a pass, Diego Costa struggled up front and
Javi Martinez and Sergio Ramos got in one another’s way. That’s not even considering
the decline of Casillas in goal.
Chile capitalised on
Casillas’ dreadful form. Alexis Sanchez curled a free kick toward Spain’s
goalkeeper, but he decided on punching the ball clear when it was easier to
catch. The punch fell to the feet of Chilean Charles Aránguiz . He hit a right
footed shot that swerved away from the keeper into his net to put the underdog
South Americans 2 – 0 up, and the World Champions 2 – 0 down.
Chile were more
hungry, and you would be too if you’d been trapped in a mine for 69 days. This match
and the tournament in general is a chance for Chile to pay tribute to those
miners that were trapped in 2010. The whole country is urging them to do well
and the passion in the stands and on the field shows the unity of the nation. Spain
on the other hand were slow, lax and uninterested. The majority of the squad
have won the World Cup and the Euros (twice). They’ve been playing every summer
since 2008, except for 2011. One must wonder whether they have lost the drive
and hunger to play for their country. Maybe a more youthful, less capped squad
- or starting 11 - would have provided more fight. There was no hunger, no
desire; no fight. The Spanish were there for a siesta rather than a fiesta.
Del Bosque soon
brought on Torres for Chelsea-bound Diego Costa, but he was unable to score for
the Spaniards either. £80 million worth of Chelsea strikers were kept quiet by
a Cardiff City midfielder playing centre back (Gary Medel) and a right back
released by Nottingham Forest (Gonzalo Jara). Mr Mourinho will sort that you’d
hope.
So defeat saw Spain
go crashing out, having conceded 7 goals in 2 games, and only scoring once –a stark
contrast to four years ago when they only conceded twice in the entire
competition en route to lifting the trophy in South Africa. The Spanish reign
has fallen. Chile are the real Los Rojo’s.
Spain 0 – 2 Chile 
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