Expert Blogs

From a possession perspective, they played sumptuous soccer. We knew that coming in. What we didn't know is that Spain doesn't have a backup plan. Or at least if they do, we didn't see it in evidence during their shock defeat to Switzerland. 

The Europeans champions dominated to such as extent it seemed only a matter of time before they broke through in their Group H opener. Sooner or later Spain's pass-and-move philosophy would pay dividends. In the event it didn't and, worryingly, they didn't know how to fix it.  

The Spaniards put on a master class in how to hold onto the football. The Swiss watched, learned and ultimately dealt with the situation. There is a reason why Ottmar Hitzfeld has won the Champions League twice. Tactically he's probably as good as any coach in the game.  

His players stuck rigidly to the game plan. They knew they'd be chasing shadows for long periods, but at least they chased. Then they chased some more, forcing Spain's superstars to go backwards and sideways as a result of their opponent's work rate.  

Then Spain, beaten only once in two years, fell prey to the sucker punch. A route one clearance headed on and bundled into the net for the scruffiest and most compelling goal of the World Cup to date. The long ball game is rarely pretty, but it is often pretty effective.  

I am absolutely certain Hitzfeld would have bitten your hand off had you had offered him a point before the game. The Swiss have shown us before they are a sound defensive unit. Four years ago they advanced to the round of 16 without conceding a single goal.  

Now, in a winning position, Hitzfeld and his players must have expected Spain's thoroughbreds to throw the kitchen sink at them. Inexplicably, the all-out assault never materialized. Even the introduction of Fernando Torres failed to ignite their much vaunted offensive threat.  

Spain continued to build slowly and cross poorly. The increasingly comfortable Swiss defenders continued to frustrate and nullify the best efforts of Villa, Silva, and Iniesta who, despite the lopsided stats, were largely restricted to long range strikes.  

Did Spain not realize they were chasing the game? Could they not fathom that for all the possession they were not hurting the Swiss? Where was the urgency in the closing minutes? On occasion, desperate times call for desperate measures.  

In a World Cup full of surprises, this was the biggest of the lot. Spain has too much class and too much talent not to make a full recovery next time out, but this result will give hope to all their potential opponents in the tournament's latter stages.

Formidable Forlan  

I fear those latter stages will not involve the host nation. South Africa's heavy loss to Uruguay leaves their dream of progress hanging by a thread. The spirit of Bafana Bafana, so much in evidence on the opening day, evaporated as the South Americans demonstrated the gulf in class.  

Uruguay, on paper at least, is the weakest of the CONMEBOL qualifiers. Yet the impressive Diego Forlan and his compatriots put their hosts in their place with consummate ease. Finally the vuvuzelas fell silent, which should, at least, satisfy nervous broadcast executives around the world.  

Also on Day 6, Chile's golden generation got motoring. It was almost a flashback to the U20 World Cup which Canada hosted three years ago. Almost half the team which beat Honduras were plucked from the squad which finished third here in the summer of 2007.  

The Chileans are committed to attack - a strategy that is as refreshing as it is risky. Sooner or later, and I hope it's later, they will come unstuck but not before entertaining us for another couple of weeks. For now, they're 3 points better off than Spain. Who knew?