Tuesday, June 29, 2010
Draw in the last Group Match
6:54 PM
For Ottmar Hitzfeld's Swiss, the euphoria of their opening victory over pre-tournament favourites Spain seemed a distant memory as wave after wave of attacks fizzled out or ended with a wayward shot.
Honduras were bright and energetic from the kick-off in Bloemfontein but, after taking time to settle, the Swiss emerged as the more likely side to break the deadlock.
Playmaker Tranquillo Barnetta was at the heart of everything that was good about Switzerland, teeing up Gokhan Inler for a shot that drifted wide and testing Honduras goalkeeper Noel Valladares with a long-ranger.
Despite their need for goals, the Swiss seemed reluctant to commit bodies forward and their attacks often broke down around the box.
Just before half-time, Eren Derdiyok delivered a superb cross to the far post but striker Blaise Nkufo could not adjust his body shape in order to fashion a finish.
The Swiss brought on Hakan Yakin at half-time but his first contribution was a long-range shot which almost hit the corner flag.
Switzerland's increasing need to attack began to leave spaces at the back and Honduras almost took full advantage.
Edgar Alvarez hooked over a cross for David Suazo, who could only plant his header wide, and then Alvarez himself drew a superb one-handed save from Swiss goalkeeper Diego Benaglio.
At the other end, Valladares was also earning his corn, although his saves to deny Barnetta, Derdiyok and Yakin were more routine than spectacular.
Hitzfeld made his final throw of the dice with the introduction of record goalscorer Alexander Frei, but for all their huff and puff, the breakthrough never came.
And Swiss fans were left to reflect on a campaign which had promised so much, but ended up delivering very little.
Switzerland
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0-0 |
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FT |
| (HT 0-0) | |||
Team |
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Switzerland
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Honduras
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Monday, June 21, 2010
the single goal Mark Gonzalez, to make Chilean Escaped
11:52 PM
Mark Gonzalez's late header was enough for Chile to overcome a stubborn defensive display from 10-man Switzerland and leave the South Americans on the verge of qualification for the last 16.
In holding the South Americans beyond the 67 minute mark, Switzerland surpassed the record for the longest run without conceding a goal at the World Cup finals, but they were made to work hard for this feat after Valon Behrami was sent off for raising an arm to Arturo Vidal.
The result gives Chile their second successive victory following an opening 1-0 win over Honduras and leaves them top of Group H on six points ahead of a final game against Spain on Friday.
Switzerland, who beat the Spanish in their first game, can still qualify if they beat Honduras and the other result goes their way.The game promised much, with the irresistible force of the exciting Chile attack meeting the immoveable object that is the Swiss defence, but this reckoned without an influential third party - referee Khalil Al Ghamdi.
In the very first minute, Chile striker Humberto Suazo was booked for a high tackle, which set the tone for the Saudi Arabian official's performance.
Suazo's yellow was the first of nine - many of which were questionable - during a game consistently halted for minor indiscretions and needless flare-ups as the referee's control diminished.
This played into the hands of the conservative Swiss until what seemed like an inevitable red card materialised on the half hour when Behrami raised his arm into the face of Vidal as the Chilean challenged from behind, resulting in an instant dismissal and enraged protests amongst the Switzerland ranks.
Prior to this, the Swiss had been typically cautious and containing, with the only chances of note a dipping 25-yard effort from Chile's Vidal, which Diego Benaglio palmed away, and Carlos Carmona's 20-yard follow-up, which the keeper was also equal to.
After the red card, Switzerland's commitment to frustrating their opponents was total, a testimony to which was the withdrawal of record goalscorer Alexander Frei, who like Behrami had been recalled for this match, but failed to last until half-time.
Suazo, who with 10 goals was top scorer in South American qualifying, but missed Chile's opening game through injury, made it longer than his returning Swiss counterparts, but his substitution at half-time was a result of an uneventful first half, featuring just one effort, which he headed well over.
Chile's most likely source of a goal was forward Alexis Sanchez, who had his side's only other attempts of the opening 45 minutes, the first of which he struck straight at Benaglio from 12 yards and the second the keeper comfortably gathered after the 21-year-old's attempted cross had deflected to him.
Sanchez thought he had finally ended the Swiss reistance early in the second half when his shot from 20 yards deflected in off substitute Jorge Valdivia, but the latter was offside at the initial shot and celebrations were cut short by a linesman's flag.
Minutes later a mistake by Steve von Bergen allowed Sanchez to bear down on goal, but he slightly overran it and Benaglio was able to block at his feet before the ball was hammered to safety.
It was not long after Switzerland surpassed Italy's World Cup clean sheet record - set between 1986 and 1990 - that Chile broke the deadlock when substitute Gonzalez made amends for an earlier missed header by rising at the back post to head in after Paredes had skipped past Benaglio to supply the cross.
Paredas had two late chances of his own to ease his side's nerves but he shot wide with both before Swiss substitute Eren Derdiyok had a golden opportunity to snatch a point. But with the goal at his mercy he shot past the post from 12 yards out.
Chile |
1-0 |
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FT |
| Gonzalez, 75 | (HT 0-0) | ||
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Team |
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Chile
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Switzerland
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Substitutes:
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(15 Yakin, 46)




