Spain 2 Chile 1 - David Villa and Andres Iniesta send Spain into knockout stage
David Villa(credit:
Wikipedia)
Spain secured their place in the last 16 with a 2-1 victory Chile – who join them in the knockout stage.
The Spaniards knew they would need a victory to make sure they would progress ahead of Switzerland, who beat the European champions on the opening game.
And the three points were all-but secured in the first half through goals from David Villa and Andres Iniesta, while Rodrigo Millar’s second-half effort for 10-man Chile failed to spark a dramatic comeback.
Fernando Torres headed over an early Xavi free-kick, and the Liverpool striker continued to show signs that he is lacking fitness by failing to get on the end of a ball over the top of the Chile defence.
Chile should have taken the lead on 10 minutes when Jorge Valdivia fed Jean Beausejour on the left and he pulled back for the onrushing Mark Gonzalez, but the striker slipped at the crucial moment and popped his shot high and wide.
The South Americans were looking dangerous and Alexis Sanchez’s cheeky chip was pushed wide by a back-peddling Iker Casillas.
Marco Estrada received his first booking for a silly challenge and four minutes later a moment of madness from goalkeeper Claudio Bravo gifted Spain the lead.
Bravo raced from his goal to beat Torres to a long ball forward, but his poor clearance fell to Villa and the Spaniard casually stroked the ball into an empty net from some way out.
Bravo almost made amends when his long punt put Beausejour though on goal, but Gerard Pique got back to make a superb last-ditch tackle.
Estrada was then fortunate not to receive his second booking for another poor challenge, but he would soon be making an early exit as Chile received a double blow eight minutes before the break.
Torres and Iniesta combined to play the ball out to the left-hand side for Villa and the Barcelona star returned it to Iniesta to stroke the ball past Bravo with a sublime finish from the edge of the area.
And while the Spanish players celebrated, Estrada was harshly shown his second yellow for clipping the heels of Torres in the build up to the goal.
Chile looked dead and buried at the break but they made a stunning start the second half to get themselves back in the game.
Half-time substitute Millar gathered the ball on the edge of the area and his shot took a wicked deflection off Pique to wrong-foot Casillas just two minutes in the half.
However, the fully-committed Chileans were running out of steam and Spain could have pulled away in the final 20 minutes.
Waldo Ponce and Mauricio Isla both denied Villa the chance to add to his three goals for the tournament, and Cesc Fabregas then miscued when well-placed, but the two first-half goals would prove to be enough.
Spain: Casillas, Pique, Puyol, A Iniesta, David Villa, Xavi, Torres (Fabregas 55), Capdevila, Alonso (J Martinez 73), Ramos, Sergio.
Goals: David Villa 24, Iniesta 37
Chile: Bravo, Ponce, Isla, Sanchez (Orellana 65), Vidal, Valdivia (Paredes 46), M Gonzalez (Millar 46), Estrada, Beausejour, Medel, Jara.
Goal: Millar 47
Booking: Ponce, Estrada, Medel (Chile)
Red Card: Estrada (Chile)