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Spanish players Diego Costa, Andres Iniesta and Xabi Alonso. EMPICS Sport
AS IT HAPPENED

As it happened: Spain v Chile, World Cup Group B

La Roja desperately need a win and face a Chile side who will be full of confidence.

THE WORLD CHAMPIONS are in danger of going out early after defeat in their first game. 

As always, we’d love to hear your thoughts on the game. E-mail ben@thescore.ie, tweet @thescore_iepost a message to our Facebook wall, or leave a comment below.

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Spain 0-2 Chile

GOOD EVENING AND welcome along.

Beaten 5-1 by the Dutch in their first game, Spain go into tonight’s Group B with Chile intent on showing their the current world and European champions are not a spent force.

Chile, meanwhile, are aiming to take a step close to the knockout stages after seeing off Australia last time out.

Here are the teams:

Spain: Casillas, Azpilicueta, Ramos, Martinez, Alba, Alonso, Busquets, Pedro, Silva, Iniesta, Costa.

Chile: Bravo, Mena, Isla, Silva, Sanchez, Vidal, Vargas, Medel, Jara, Aranguiz, Dias.

Spain coach Vicente del Bosque axed Gerard Pique and Xavi Hernandez from his starting XI for the World Cup Group B game against Chile in Rio de Janeiro.

The Barcelona pair, centre-back Pique and long-serving midfielder Xavi, paid the price after defending champions Spain were humiliated 5-1 by the Netherlands in their opening game on Friday.

Javi Martinez of Bayern Munich took over from Pique alongside Sergio Ramos in central defence at the Maracana, while Xavi was replaced by his Barcelona colleague Pedro Rodriguez.

Del Bosque kept faith with captain and goalkeeper Iker Casillas despite the veteran Real Madrid shot-stopper producing an error-strewn performance against the Dutch, for which he later issued an apology.

Chile coach Jorge Sampaoli made one change to the team that beat Australia 3-1 on Friday, with Osasuna midfielder Francisco Silva coming in for Palmeiras playmaker Jorge Valdivia.

- © AFP, 2014

Chaotic scenes at the Maracana. A group of Chilean fans have forced their way into the stadium and destroyed part of the media centre in the process. Madness.

 

 

The situation has been dealt with by police.

Spain sit bottom of Group B after Holland’s 3-2 win over Australia earlier today.

Group B table

What are your predictions for this one?


Poll Results:

Chile win (196)
Spain win (82)
Draw (52)

Big night for Diego Costa after his below-par performance on his competitive debut for Spain on Friday night.

Diego Costa RTE Sport RTE Sport

Here we go, Spain to kick off.

We’ve only played 48 seconds of play but already Chile have looked dangerous. Midfield general Arturo Vidal breaks into the box and finds Vargas but he delays the shot and it is deflected out for a corner.

From the set piece, Jara can’t direct a free header on target.

This is class. 10-year-old Irish ‘mini Messi’ Ciaran Duffy is a player escort at tonight’s match. Here’s the young Shamrock Rovers schoolboy, who was picked to star in McDonalds’ World Cup ad, giving the TV cameras a cheeky wink.

Xabi Alonso sends a free-kick to the back post where goal-threat Ramos is waiting. Chile goalkeeper Bravo is out swiftly to take it off the Real Madrid defender’s head though.

Vidal bundles Silva over 30 years out from goal and Chile concede the free. Alonso takes again but it’s well overhit this time.

Costa drives into the box and pulls it across the goalmouth but there is no one in red to capitalise. Iniesta has to go wide to recycle the chance and his cross falls to Alonso, who sees a shot saved by Bravo.

GOAL! Spain 0-1 Chile (Eduardo Vargas) 

Spain are behind! Alonso loses the ball, Chile break down the right through Aranguiz and he finds Eduardo Vargas. The Fiorentina attacker side-steps Casillas and finds the back of the net.

Here’s the goal.
https://vine.co/v/MTzFm6V6r6L

Iniesta takes a quick free, passing out to David Silva. He in turn chips the ball into the path of Costa but the Atletico Madrid striker’s attempt is a poor one — hitting the side-netting.

There have been  a few full-blooded challenges in the past few minutes. Pedro brings Jara down then Iniesta catches Vidal late.

Xabi Alonso has been distinctly bad so far and the midfielder has just picked up a yellow card for a poor tackle on Isla.

Minutes later, Alonso is done by a neat turn from Sanchez and clips the Barcelona man to hand Chile a free…

GOAL! Spain 0-2 Chile (Charles Aranguiz) 

WOW! The South Americans have doubled their advantage right before half-time. Sanchez blasts the free-kick at goal and Casillas can only punch the ball back out as far as Aranguiz, who toe-pokes home brilliantly.

Not for the first time at this World Cup, Casillas at fault.
https://vine.co/v/MTzVaIgYbKA

Half-time: Spain 0-2 Chile

Soccer - FIFA World Cup 2014 - Group B - Spain v Chile - Maracana EMPICS Sport EMPICS Sport

Here come the teams. It’s a huge 45 minutes for Spain.

Del Bosque has replaced Xabi Alonso with Atletico Madrid midfielder Koke in an attempt to shake things up.

Iniesta slots in Costa and he takes a couple of average touches to get the ball out of his feet. That gives the Chile defenders time to get in front of him and make a block.

Jordi Alba then fires a shot wide when the corner comes out to him.

Pedro is bundled over by Vidal — giving Spain a free-kick some 25 yards out. Ramos stands over the ball with Silva and Iniesta.

It’s Ramos to hit but the strike is far too straight. Bravo’s punch isn’t great and Pedro puts the ball back in where Busquets has a guilt-edged opportunity to pull one back from close range. That is an awful miss.

Check it out for yourselves:
https://vine.co/v/MTa7dZQlgAB

Yellow card for Eugenio Mena.

Here comes Fernando Torres!

So it’s Costa off, Torres on for Spain. What a disappointment the Brazilian-born striker has been.

Chile’s goalscorer Aranguiz ha also been replaced by Felipe Gutierrez.

Chile really could have wrapped things up there but Isla scoops over at the bar after stretching to get onto the end of a cross.

Santi Cazorla now preparing to be introduced. With 18 minutes plus stoppages on the clock, time really is running out for Spain now.

Cazorla replaces Pedro.

Chile are still standing strong here. Cazorla tries to find some face to cross on the right flank but Mena is there once again to intercept.

Cazorla looks to curl one in from outside the box but Bravo gets a hand to put it out for a corner.

Bravo excellently saves from Iniesta. He has been in fine form.

Torres brought down as he break through the Chile defence and, once again, Bravo saves — this time from Cazorla’s free-kick.

Six minutes of added time to play.

Full-time: Spain 0-2 Chile 

2010 champions Spain are the first team to go OUT OF THE WORLD CUP.

This World Cup just keeps on giving. For the first time since 1998, Spain (current holders and European champions) have been sent home after just two group games.

Just like they were against the Dutch, Spain were second best to just about everything tonight and were guilty of a number of schoolboy errors.

Full marks to Chile, however, who could go far at this tournament.

‘I never dreamt of playing a game like this’ – Mexico hero Guillermo Ochoa

Tim Cahill’s goal of the tournament contender against the Dutch

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