25 June 2010
SWITZERLAND 0
HONDURAS 0
N'Kufo recovered a ball he lost, he passed Inler, he spread the play out wide to Barnetta and Derdiyok missed another sitter, heading wide. Seattle Sounders' N'Kufo, free on the back post, elected to chest a cross instead of heading it. Dumbass. Two Serie A veterans combined for Honduras' best chances. The once great David Suazo headed wide an Alvarez cross. They broke on a counter, Alvarez trapped Suazo's centre and curled a shot towards the top left corner, drawing a highlight reel, one handed save from Benaglio.
Attendance : 28,042
Assists : n/a
CHILE 1 (Millar 47)
SPAIN 2 (Villa 24, Iniesta 37)
Torres maintained his standard performances at International i.e. he sucked, missing two early, easy chances. Beausejour stepped over a centre, drawing Pique to Valdivia, he passed to Beausejour, he squared to Gonzalez at the back post but he miss hit the ball, awful miss. Chile's goalkeeper Bravo ran 30 yards off his line and tackled Torres as he raced onto a Xabi Alonso pass, Villa was following up and sent a 40 yard lob into an empty net. Pique should have done better with a free header from a corner, at least he didn't get smacked in the face. Chile countered immediately, Beausejour ran clear only to be denied by Pique who made up the ground and blocked. Torres should have been booked for diving, these Mexican referees suck. It appears as if FIFA have instructed refs not to book any Spaniards at this tournament. Two minutes later Torres dived again, under no contact whatsoever, while he was feigning injury Iniesta spread the ball wide to Villa, Villa returned it and Iniesta side footed into the bottom corner. Torres succeeded in getting Estrada a second yellow. ITV's commentator, that idiot Clive Tyldesley claimed it was a trip, not it wasn't you bloody idiot. Estrada was going in heavy so had it coming. Ponce should have also done the walk of shame in first half injury time when he stamped on Xabi Alonso's right foot. What goes around, comes around.
Millar scored within three minutes of replacing Gonzalez, his shot took a deflection off Pique, wrong footing Casillas in the Spanish goal. Ponce and Isla made excellent last ditch tackles on Villa. The game petered out.
Attendance : 41,958
Assists : n/a, Villa, n/a
21 June 2010
SPAIN 2 (Villa 17, Villa 51)
HONDURAS 0
Villa scored a fantastic opening goal. Receiving a crossfield pass from new Barca team-mate Pique on the left wing, he drove into the box, beat two players with a quick change of feet, stepped outside another defender and despite losing his balance shot into the top right corner. Brilliant. Torres missed two sitters within seconds of each other. Villa elbowed Izaguirre in the face, had he gone down maybe the linesman would have spotted it and alerted the referee, who didn't see it and chances are FIFA's gutless disciplinary committee won't see it either. Villa scored his second with a deflected shot from the inside of the D. While the goal was being replayed the luckless Pique took another kick to the face which left him with blood streaming from his mouth. He of course continued after being patched up, the boy is a warrior. Villa missed a penalty and the chance of a hat-trick on the hour mark.
Attendance : 54,386
Assists : Pique, n/a
CHILE 1 (Gonzalez 75)
SWITZERLAND 0
Benaglio made a superb two handed save from Carmona's ferociously struck half volley. Behrami shoved Vidal after the defender challenged him for the ball, Vidal made a meal of it, went down clutching his face and the ref showed Behrami a second yellow. Sanchez charged down Grichting's clearance but shot straight at Benaglio. Valdivia's FANTASTIC through pass released Parades, he took the ball wide, whipped a cross to the back post and Gonzalez bounced a header over Lichtsteiner. Chile wasted half a dozen chances on the break (it was like my sex life - good approach play but no penetration) and almost paid the price in the last minute when Banjaku back-healed Ziegler's centre leaving Derdiyok with just the 'keeper to beat but he shot wide.
Attendance : 34,872
Red Card : Behrami 31 (Switzerland)
Assist : Parades
16 June 2010
SPAIN 0
SWITZERLAND 1 (Fernandes 52)
Derdiyok headed a longball down to Fernandes, Puyol deflected Fernandes' reverse pass into Derdiyok's path, Casillas charged off his line and floored Derdiyok as he took the ball away from the 'keeper, clear as day penalty and red card, as Derdiyok hurtled through the air his left foot smashed into Pique's face, Pique fell on top of the ball as Fernandes shot, it popped out from under him and Fernandes tapped into an empty net. The ball broke to weakling Iniesta on the edge of the box as two defenders tackled Villa but he curled wide. He was, predictably, substituted after taking a knock. Xavi rolled a corner short to the edge of the box, Xabi Alonso met the ball with awesome right foot shot which exploded off the crossbar. Three minutes later the Swiss hit the woodwork. Derdiyok and Fernandes combined again, Derdiyok ran through a feeble Capdevilla challenge, dribbled inside Pique and Bam Bam Puyol and his nonchalant flick came back off the right post, Pique charged down his follow-up effort.
Attendance : 62,453
Assists : n/a
HONDURAS 0
CHILE 1 (Beausejour 34)
The Chileans recycled the ball from a Honduran throw-in, Fernandez played a perfectly weighted pass inside a fullback to the overlapping Isla, Mendoza slid in to clear, kicked the ball against Beausejour and it ricocheted off him past Valladares. Sanchez raced onto a Valdivia through ball, dribbled past two defenders but screwed his shot wide. Vidal headed down a free kick and, from three yards out, Ponce headed straight at the 'keeper.
Attendance : 32,664
Assists : n/a