#48: Spain set up Portugal clash after 2-1 win

AP

Pretoria, 26 June 2010: David Villa and Andres Iniesta scored a goal each on Friday to help Spain beat 10-man Chile 2-1 and send both teams into the round of 16 from Group H.

Villa scored from 45 meters in the 24th minute at Loftus Versfeld Stadium. He ran on to a loose ball and curled a left-footed shot into an open goal after Chile goalkeeper Claudio Bravo had rushed out of the area to clear Xabi Alonso’s long ball.

 

 

Iniesta, who returned from a right leg injury, jumped on a loose ball in the midfield and eventually worked it to Villa down the left. The Barcelona striker drew defenders Arturo Vidal and Mauricio Isla before passing back to Iniesta to side-foot past Bravo in the 37th.

Marco Estrada was sent off after being booked for a second time during the buildup to the second goal. After replacing the suspended Carlos Carmona as holding midfielder, Estrada was first booked in the 21st and shown a red card for tripping Fernando Torres.

Chile substitute Rodrigo Millar pulled one back for the South American team, scoring from a shot that deflected off Gerard Pique in the 47th.

Spain finished at the top of Group H with six points and will play Portugal in the next round, while Chile also has six points and will face Brazil after finishing second on goal difference.

"We have a unique opportunity," Iniesta said. "The team has demonstrated a good attitude. The draw with Portugal is difficult."

In the other group match, Honduras held Switzerland to a 0-0 draw, eliminating both teams.

Estrada’s sending off gave Spain space to work its quick-touch passing game and hold better possession after a bruising start when the Chileans were able to knock the Spanish off the ball and looked dangerous on the counterattack.

"It was even until the ejection," Chile coach Marcelo Bielsa said. "Spain’s goals weren’t just down to their own merit."

With Spain starting the second half slowly, Millar — who replaced Mark Gonzalez to start the half — took advantage of the time and space given to him at the edge of the area for a shot that left goalkeeper Iker Casillas without a chance.

But Spain held on for a win that ensured one of the pre-tournament favorites advanced despite not being at its sharpest.

"We know there are no easy games. We have reacted to a very difficult situation and have done well," Spain coach Vicente del Bosque said. "There’s a lot of pressure in Spain (for us to advance) and we want to do well."

Spain’s passing game — its usual strength — was far from crisp as it was slow in the buildup to goal although Torres had a valid penalty shout after being pushed to the ground by Vidal inside the area in the 36th.

Before that, Chile had opportunities through Mark Gonzalez and Jean Beausejour, but both were off-target.

Torres, who had a penalty appeal in the 36th waived away, was replaced by Cesc Fabregas in the 55th as the Liverpool striker struggled again in his second start since undergoing right knee surgery.

Villa, Spain’s biggest threat throughout who also became the country’s all-time leading World Cup scorer with his sixth goal, joined Argentina striker Gonzalo Higuain and Robert Vittek of Slovakia as leading scorers in South Africa with three goals.

Chile was the first South American team to lose a match at this year’s World Cup. The Chileans will be without defender Waldo Ponce against Brazil on Monday after he picked up a yellow card in the 20th for kicking Torres.