PRETORIA // In 1920, Spain were nicknamed La Furia Roja - the Red Fury - for their spirited displays at that year's Olympic Games. Nowadays, they rely more on technical ability than fury and have thus amended their nickname to simply La Roja. Chile, Spain's opponents last night, are also called La Roja by their passionate fans, but monikers are not all the two teams have in common.
Both countries play attractive, flair-filled, possession football, yet yesterday, it was the South Americans who would have benefited from a lack of fury on the field. Marco Estrada's second yellow card in the space of 18 first-half minutes - preceded by two other Chilean players being cautioned - effectively ended any hopes the South Americans had of toppling the European champions.
Chile had begun the game knowing a draw would guarantee their progression, while Spain, in contrast, knew they likely had to win as Switzerland, on equal points with the Spaniards after beating them 1-0 in their opening Group H match, were facing bottom-placed Honduras, who also stood an outside chance of qualifying, simultaneously in Bloemfontein.
Andres Iniesta, Barcelona's midfield master, returned to the Spanish side in place of Sevilla's Jesus Navas, while Chile were forced to endure a shake-up in the centre of the park after losing the suspended duo of Carlos Carmona and Matias Fernandez. Estrada, of University de Chile, and the Dubai-based Jorge Valdivia, who plays for Al Ain in the Pro League, came in. Mark Gonzalez, the CSKA Moscow forward, also made his first start of the tournament; reward for his headed winner against the Swiss four days earlier.
An open, fluid and frantic start saw the Chileans look more threatening and, contrary to Carles Puyol's cheeky raspberry for the cameras during the pre-game formalities, the Spanish defence looked nervous throughout the opening exchanges. Europe's pass-masters were being uncharacteristically dominated by their opponents' speed and trickery. But, as Chile continued to create chances - the best falling to Gonzalez, who blazed over following great interplay between Jean Beausejour and Alexis Sanchez - a mistake at the back allowed Spain to take the lead.
A hopeful ball down the left wing was chased by Fernando Torres and Claudio Bravo, the Chile goalkeeper, needlessly rushed out. His clearance only went as far as Villa though, whose composed 45-yard strike, hit first time with his left foot, bounced into the unguarded net. It was the first goal Chile had conceded in five matches. To the South Americans' credit, they continued to attack, but when Iniesta struck 12 minutes later after a neat pull-back from Villa, there looked like there was only going to be one winner - a fact heightened when Estrada was dismissed during the Spanish celebrations after being harshly adjudged to have clipped the heels of Torres in the build-up to the goal. Estrada left the field in tears.
Marcelo Bielsa, the Chile coach, made two changes at half time and was instantly rewarded as Rodrigo Millar, on for Gonzalez, saw his shot take a wicked deflection off the knee of Gerard Pique, the Spanish centre-back, and loop over the head of Iker Casillas in the Spain goal to reinvigorate the subdued South American supporters. Torres, so wasteful in his side's 2-0 victory over Honduras four days earlier and rarely threatening here, was quickly replaced by Cesc Fabregas, the technically gifted Arsenal midfielder, as Vicente del Bosque, the Spanish coach, looked to pack the centre of the park and prevent further damage.
The result was the European champions started to dominate and, with the extra man, it looked only a matter of time before they scored a third and killed the game off. The menacing Villa continued to cause trouble in Chile's penalty area, but solid, last-ditch defending repeatedly prevented Barcelona's newest signing from getting a shot at goal. With the Chileans knowing a Swiss goal up the road would see them drawing lots for a place in the second round, they chased the game, throwing on Fabian Orellana, but the Xerez forward struggled to adapt to the hectic pace of the game.
As the final whistle blew, Spain's fervent support celebrated, but the Chilean fans were forced to anxiously await news from Bloemfontein. When it arrived, they too joined in. The defeat marked the first time a South American team has lost at this World Cup, but the continent will now certainly be on the losing side in three days time as Chile's bittersweet reward for squeezing through as Group H's second-placed team, is a last-16 tie with neighbouring heavyweights Brazil.
@Email:gmeenaghan@thenational.ae
Red card: Estrada (Chile)
Man of the match: Andres Iniesta (Spain)
