Chile too hot for Spain
[caption id="attachment_36606" align="alignright" width="405"] SOLID STRIKE: Chile's Charles Aranguiz scores his team's second goal against Spain last night. Picture: EPA[/caption]
HOLDERS Spain slumped to a 2-0 defeat to Chile and crashed out of the World Cup last night after their second defeat in five days.
Chile's victory – through goals from Eduardo Vargas and Charles Arranguiz -- made the South Americans and the Netherlands, who defeated Australia earlier in the night, the first teams to go through to the second round.
After a golden era that saw them win the European Championships in 2008 and 2012 and the World Cup in 2010, Spain have suffered a dramatic fall from grace.
They equalled Italy's unwanted record in 1950 of being booted out of the World Cup after just two games.
It was Chile's first win against the Spanish in 11 meetings.
Spain's confidence seemed to have evaporated after their 5-1 defeat to the Netherlands in their first Group B game on Friday.
Coach Vicente del Bosque dropped established stars Gerard Pique and Xavi Hernandez, but it had no impact in the charged atmosphere of Rio de Janeiro's Maracana stadium. Chile pressed forward from the start. Vargas' shot in the second minute was narrowly deflected wide of the goal by a defender.
Spain also pushed up, but errors soon proved costly.
Xabi Alonso gave the ball away in the 20th minute and it reached Arranguiz in the penalty area, who slipped it inside for Vargas to smash past Spain's captain Iker Casillas, making a Spanish record 17th appearance in a World Cup finals match.
The game carried on at a furious pace as the defending champions sought a way back into the game.
But in the 43rd minute, Casillas clumsily punched away a free kick by Barcelona star Alexis Sanchez.
The ball went straight to Arranguiz who struck it into the net.
Earlier, Arjen Robben and Robin van Persie scored as Netherlands came from behind to beat brave Australia 3-2. They now face almost certain elimination
A second-half strike from Memphis Depay settled an electrifying Group B encounter after a stunning Tim Cahill volley and a Mile Jedinak penalty helped the Socceroos take a 2-1 lead.
Van Persie will miss the next game against Chile, though, after picking up a second yellow card. – AFP
