The two Group H winners on opening day square off as Switzerland and Chile battle for the group's top spot in Port Elizabeth (ESPN, ESPN3.com, 10:00 a.m.). Both managed to win their first matches of the World Cup, though Switzerland's win over Spain stole the spotlight.
Chile put in a solid attacking performance against Honduras, but were unable to finish numerous opportunities. The return of Humberto Suazo for Chile should help in that respect, as they'll look to break down a rigid Swiss defense that performed so well against Spain.
Alexander Frei and Valon Behrami are back in the starting lineup for the Swiss, but Philippe Senderos misses out after picking up an ankle injury. If today's match yields a winner, that side would advance to the knockout round if the Honduras-Spain match ends in a draw.
If you'll be watching the match, please feel free to share your thoughts, opinions and play-by-play in the comments section below.
Enjoy the match.
I will no longer complain about youth soccer refs! They are as good as any! 🙂
Its probably already been said but I think Chile is in a really bad spot right now. 6 points is never a bad thing to have but now they have Spain coming up and Switzerland plays Honduras.
Its obviously likely that Spain will beat Honduras handily today which will leave Spain and Switzerland with 3 points and Chile with 6.
Pretty much all that needs to happen is for Spain to beat Chile and Switzerland to beat Honduras. This leaves Chile and Switzerland tied on GD at the VERY LEAST. Chile might be the first team to ever be ousted after winning 6 points from a group.
MLS?… 🙂
I guess you missed the comment about how Hitzfeld emulated the USA’s approach to Spain in the CC. Hmmmm, how ironic.
10 cards, and 45 fouls.
Where do they find these official?
Ha ha. Well I am a USA fan, but I like to support the teams that try and score.
No, I could just tell you were a Chile fan and I didn’t want to see you happy.
Freaking Dive. Thankfully it was carded.
Unbelievable, wide open net and you miss to tie the game?
Scrub.
Yeah, very poor finishing.
Are you kidding me…
What is that, the fourth blown breakaway in a row?
Chile should have put this away several times already.
Why sighing? Do you respect negative soccer?
That was not offsides…
9 cards and 42 fouls called.
Another potentially great match ruined.
This official is a joke.
What a huge dive.
So Chile scores on a clear offside? Hmmmm, what a great match.
sigh
Go Texas! Make us proud of that flag on your shirt!
YESSSSSS CHILE GOAL!!!!!! SUCK IT DEFENSIVE SOCCER!
It’s a whistle every 30 seconds, god.
haha I’ve come to expect it now. I hate complaining about officiating, but this just makes me so angry.
We need to get ricardo salizar out there!
blaise nkufo, moving on to seattle sounders… words we’ll never hear from our english commentator.
If Bahrami received a red for his arm throwing, then that Chilean should have been sent off for the hand to the throat. Both are MAYBE yellow card infringements, but the ref needs to be consistent at the very least.
I’m sick of the face-grabbing diving BTW. Pathetic.
I agree, he has given out too many cards, especially that early red.
The ref has dominated the game, with silly cards. I foresee at least another red
No, no it is not.
Contesting a drop ball for your own benefit when nobody is expecting you to is as bad as not giving the ball back when the other team puts it out.
Ha, that swiss player are pulling a Italy or Ivory Coast. Even more acting than the Chile player earlier!
I don’t think that is classless at all. It is a stupid rule to begin with since they should have had a throw un way up the field.
Wow, Chile has no class at all. How do you violate that rule?
These anouncers seen very pro-Swiss to me. Maybe I am just being selective.
Yes, they will indeed bunker.
The Swiss: Boring with eleven men, incredibly boring with ten.
Go Chile!…win it for the Beautiful game rather than the defensive game!
Haven’t seen a screening the goalie call made in awhile.
Just expect it, as many have learned to do. Every WC it’s the same story. . . FIFA likes it this way : )
Spot on. A red card anywhere in the first half destroys the rest of the match.
After watching the the replay again, I don’t even think it was worth of a yellow card, let alone a straight red.
Refs ruin games when they do this in the beginning of the game. It kills me…
I love how Chile attack! Great passes to get the ball out to the flanks then get it into the box where there are always players ready to be dangerous. Really reminds me of Dom. Kinnear’s Dynamo
I say they start red carding players that are diving. It is no different than those who prevent a goal. They are cheating. Hence Kaka getting sent off by a dirty cheat. Their whole intent is to get someone innocent sent off. I say they need to start sending off those that are cheating. It is an embarrassment to the sport.
Chile is a double edge sword…they play so aggressive is beautiful to see them attack and go for broke, but at the same time they’re sometimes out of control and often dirty players.
How many matches are we going to see ruined by goals not counting/players being sent off for clearly incorrect calls?
The last 3 games I have watched have involved a red card.
I’m not sure that foul, where Behrami was given a red, was even yellow worthy.
That is a shocking decision…. that did not look intentional at all.
blah blah cliche blah blah
Man, there is a lot of empty seats. Reminds me of a NYRB game.
Will Switzerland bunker their way to another victory over beautiful soccer?
This match pits PaintShop-Pro Red Man verses Hot Pepper Flag.