History-making Swiss shock favourites Spain
World Cup favourites Spain crashed to a shock 1-0 defeat to unfancied
Switzerland in their opening game of the tournament here on Wednesday.
A rock solid defence and a tremendous goalkeeping effort from Diego
Benaglio saw the Swiss take the lead in the 51st minute through Gelson
Fernandes and sustain wave after wave of pressure to hold on for the win
in the Group H clash.
The victory was Switzerland’s first-ever over Spain in 19 games
dating back 85 years.
Fernandes’ scrambled goal was exactly the type pundits said the Swiss
might score against a Spanish team whose slick passing game failed to
convert territory and overwhelming possessional advantage into anything
concrete.
A long, straight goalkick was picked up by striker Eren Derdiyok,
whose path was blocked by an onrushing Iker Casillas.
In the melee, the ball squirted into the path of defender Gerard
Pique who fell as he twisted trying to clear the ball, and the Cape
Verde-born Fernandes was left with the easiest of tap-ins.
Derdiyok could have made it two for the Swiss but saw his prod with
the outside of his foot rebound off the post in the 74th minute.
Spain will be left kicking themselves after dominating much of open
play, while Vicente Del Bosque’s selection policy will be questioned
after the positive impact of strikers Jesus Navas and Fernando Torres
off the bench.
But the Spanish, fielding the backbone of the side that won Euro
2008, did have their chances.
In the first tame 45 minutes, Pique’s shot was parried by Benaglio,
and David Villa made a real hash of a cross rather than shooting.
Benaglio, who saw key Fulham defender Philippe Senderos limp off with an
ankle injury after half an hour, was tested more as Spain pressed in the
second-half after going behind to Fernandes’ goal.
In short succession, Villa was thwarted by a diving Benaglio, Andres
Iniesta saw a curling effort miss the posts by a metre, and Torres
twisted and fired high and wide.
Alonso then saw a 30-yard bullet of a strike come back off the
woodwork with Benaglio well beaten. Navas had a shot well saved by the
Swiss keeper and went narrowly wide shortly after.
But the Swiss, often playing with nine of their 10 outfield players
behind the ball, held on for the historic win and gave themselves hope
of progressing to the second round, as they did four years ago in
Germany.
DURBAN, AFP |