The South Americans clash. Nominally the best against the most impressive so far and Chile. Brazil look as good as one might expect but Chile look – well – as you would hope Brazil would be. Cavalier and attacking. Exciting but strong and in Alexis Sánchez, they have the exciting young talent of the World [...]
This is Spain’s group. The media call it “The Spain Group” and predict that Spain will progress through it and past Portugal for a semi-final match up with Argentina/Germany/England. Spain are expected to win. No South American side has been behind this World Cup – let alone lost – and Chile qualified second in the [...]
The first round of games has been marked by fear and the results of giving into that fear. If one moment summed up the opening sixteen games it was New Zealander Winston Reid heading home in the last minute against a Slovakia side who feared adding to the one goal they had and were punished [...]
The final day of the first round of this World Cup sees two nations which are fancied by few – although Chile think that despite not having won a game at the finals since 1962 when they hosted believe they can get to the semi-finals – but unseen by many. Chile finished runners up to [...]