Chile 1, Honduras 0
There's real promise in the Chilean team. Chile might have won by three of four but solid goalkeeping and the offside flag meant that Jean Beausejour's 34th minute strike after a lovely buildup was the only goal. Five of Chile's starters and some substitutes came through the U20 program with manager Marcelo Bielsa, and the Chileans rival the Germans so far in the quest to be the most cohesive unit.
Like the Germans, Chile faced weak opposition. Honduras did not come into the game at all until the second half, and even then the Hondurans had no ideas in the attacking third of the pitch. With Spain and Switzerland to come, Honduras desperately needed something from this game, and they never looked like getting it. This under-strength team has had key injuries including its only world-class striker in David Suazo, and is not deep enough to compete.
Jorge Valdivia picked up a late knock for Chile, but hobbled off under his own power.
Switzerland 1, Spain 0
European champions' Spain fell to a Gelson Fernandes goal in the 52nd minute set up by Eren Dedeyok. Spain had 63|PERCENT| of the ball and outshot the Swiss 25-6.
Spain dominated the first half but could not finish. The shock goal for the Swiss saw about five players prostrate on the ground by the time the Keystone Kops moment finished with defenders, strikers, and Spain #1 Iker Casillas all eating dirt. Each side hit the woodwork thereafter (Xabi Alonso smashed the crossbar from 22 yards out; Dediyok's individual effort ended with a stab off the post) and Switzerland hung on 'til the end.
Spain looked much more deadly after Fernando Torres came on in the 62nd minute but it wasn't to be. These managers had epic duels before when Vicente del Bosque helmed Real Madrid and Ottmar Hitzfeld was in charge of Bayern Muenchen's "FC Hollywood" team. If this is to be their last battle, Hitzfeld has had the last laugh.
The referee was biased in favour of the Spanish, and the fourth official obliged by signaling five extra minutes at the end when three would have been more than enough, but no matter. It was Switzerland's day and the Swiss look set for the second round with Honduras still on the calendar.
Each team's Man of Glass left proceedings early through injury, and could be done for the tournament. Switzerland's Phillippe Senderos hobbled off before halftime. Barcelona's soft man Andres Iniesta came out decidedly second-best from a crunching tackle by Stephan Lichsteiner.
In my opinion there are too many Barcelona players on this Spain team—and too many sparkles and not enough steel. Chile will trouble Spain at the back, and a couple of crankier defenders would serve Spain well if the team still hopes to progress. Carlos Marchena deserves a run out next game for sure. Unfortunately, there aren't many hard men in this team, and this is going to be a problem.
Uruguay 3, South Africa 0
Uruguay destroyed a poor South Africa side to leave the hosts' hopes of seeing the knockout stage in shreds. Uruguay got a brace from Diego Forlan and injury time insurance from Alvaro Pereira.
Forlan's massive strike from distance after 24 minutes was the lone highlight in a dry first half where Uruguay had all the meaningful possession. South Africa showed absolutely nothing in this match.
The game was blown open on 76 minutes as South African keeper Itumeleng Khune was sent off for clipping Luiz Suarez inside the box. Forlan converted the penalty. Khune will sit out the next game, almost certainly South Africa's last.
South Africa will also have Kagisho Digkacoi suspended for the final group match against France. The midfielder picked up yellow cards in both of South Africa's first two games.
Diego Maradona, Quote Machine
Argentina manager Diego Maradona pulled no punches in a Wednesday press conference, saying that Pele should "go back to the museum". He also took some jabs at the French nation. Sacrebleu! Or, as Painter Smurf would say, Sacrebleu-green!
Platini had dissed Diego Maradona's coaching ability. (Me too.) Maradona replied that "We all know how the French are, and Platini is French, and he believes he is better than the rest."
"Platini, I'm not surprised", Maradona added. "I've always had a very distant relationship with him."
Maradona hit out at Pele over Pele's defense of the match ball. "I would ask Pele to go out there and actually play with the ball…and stop talking rubbish about me."
Maradona also revealed that Juan Sebastian Veron would be rested as a precaution against South Korea on Thursday. Maxi Rodriguez slides in as the replacement.