Round premiere
The Spanish team made its debut in the World Cup in South Africa facing Switzerland, a priori a lower team than La Roja. In addition, Spaniards and Swiss had already met on two other occasions: in 1966 and 1994. In addition, for the Spaniards with this meeting, they were celebrating their Golden Jubilee in the World Cup: they were celebrating their 50th meeting in the history of the World Cups.
Photo:
MARCELO DEL POZO
REUTERS
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Show in the stands
More than 7,000 Spanish fans gathered in the stands of the Moses Mabhida Stadium in Durban. The fans of La Roja did not stop cheering during the 90 minutes of the game, but the defeat left them with a bad taste in their mouths: they expected a victory from the then current European champion …
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KARIM JAAFAR
AFP
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The eleven of Del Bosque
Vicente del Bosque made his debut in front of the National Team with the following eleven: standing and from left to right posing: Casillas, Ramos, Xabi Alonso, Busquets, Piqué and Capdevila. Below, and in the same order: Silva, Iniesta, Villa, Xavi and Puyol … An experienced eleven and with guarantees to face the debut against Switzerland …
Photo:
KARIM JAAFAR
AFP
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Switzerland, daughter of immigration
The eleven from Switzerland. Above, from left to right pose: Benaglio, Derdiyok, Grichting, Senderos, Nkufo and Huggel. Below, and in the same sense: Inler, Lichsteiner, Ziegler, Barnetta and Gelson. More than half of the players are children of immigrants (members of the second generation of immigrants) …
Photo:
KARIM JAAFAR
AFP
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Gelson struck
The only goal of the match was preceded by an illegal position by Gelson: the Swiss was ahead of the ball and no Spanish defender validated his situation. After colliding with Casillas and Derdiyok, the ball hits the Swiss tip and he is thrown towards Gelson, who takes advantage of his situation, ahead of the ball and Piqué to score the goal in a jumbled play.
Photo:
YVES HERMAN
REUTERS
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Xabi, to the crossbar
The best chance for the Spanish National Team came in a whiplash from Xabi Alonso, who crashed into the crossbar in the 70th minute of the game. The tolosarra put together a powerful right hand, but the ball ended up being violently repelled by the crossbar …
Photo:
Jasper Juinen
Getty Images
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Benaglio Wall
The festival of stops for Diego Benaglio, Swiss goalkeeper for Wolfsburg, started in the 24th minute, with a heads-up stop to Gerard Piqué. The defender stood face to face with the goalkeeper, but guessed his shot. Bad luck began for the Spanish …
Photo:
YVES HERMAN
REUTERS
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It wasn't his day
It wasn't David Villa's day. The Asturian striker enjoyed several occasions, but the bad physical moment he was going through (he had finished the season exhausted) was noted in the 7 of the Spanish National Team …
Photo:
CARL DE SOUZA
AFP
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Lack of space
Villa did not finish off this ball by just 20 centimeters. Xavi had given him a golden pass to hand him back to hand with Benaglio, who again came out as the winner in the set.
Photo:
CARL DE SOUZA
AFP
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Iniesta, I want and I can't
Andrés Iniesta also sought the goal with a shot that would go off target. The Selection dominated, but in a sterile way: it did not get to have frank occasions and there was always Benaglio to, as a bolt, ultimately save the goal …
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JUAN FLOR
DAILY AS
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Hero without aim
Fernando Torres, hero in the final of the 2008 Euro Cup when scoring the goal for Germany in the final, also tried to achieve the match, but his shot, loose, lopsided and with hardly any angle, would go high. There were still 20 minutes to balance the result.
Photo:
CHEMA DIAZ
DAILY AS
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Navas brushed it
Jesús Navas had the last clear opportunity for the colors of the National Team with a shot that went just wide. The statistical summary of the match was summarized in 23 shots, of which six were on goal (practically 25%), 16 went outside and one that crashed into the crossbar.
Photo:
CHEMA DIAZ
DAILY AS
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Iniesta scare
Andrés Iniesta arrived touched to this match and had been doubt until 24 hours of the meeting. During the match he was one of the best in the Spanish National Team, but he suffered a hard blow to the lateral part of the knee that made the entire coaching staff fear the worst, but Iniesta continued playing: “You have to be tough and in the mature … This is soccer, it is the World Cup. We assume defeat and we move forward. “
Photo:
JUAN FLOR
DAILY AS
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Two stitches to Piqué
In the unfortunate move the Swiss goal, Gerard Piqué suffered a spectacular blow to the eyebrow that cost him having to leave the field of play and be attended by Dr. Celada. The selection doctor had to close the cut with two stitches …
Photo:
LIU JIN
AFP
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Webb's mistakes
Howard Webb, collegiate of the meeting, had a bad reputation in his country and a good poster in Europe. The police officer did not apply the regulations in three actions: in two actions by Senderos in the Swiss area, one for tripping Silva and the other for grabbing Villa in the area. The third action was not to show the second yellow to Grichting, which would have led to his expulsion.
Photo:
YVES HERMAN
REUTERS
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Switzerland celebrates
The Swiss National Team celebrated the victory as if they had won the World Cup final. And for them, defeating Spain, one of the great favorites to win the Cup on July 11 in Johannesburg, was to have already won the World Cup. His coach, Ottmar Hitzfeld, defined the meeting with five words: “We have managed to drive Spain crazy.”
Photo:
CARL DE SOUZA
AFP
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Reassuring message
At the end of the match, Vicente del Bosque wanted to send a reassuring message to both players and fans: “Now is not the time to complain, now it is time to rebel against this situation and seek revenge in the next two games …” .
Photo:
LLUIS GENE
AFP
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Observer Luis
Luis Aragonés attended the African World Cup as a commentator for Al Jazeera. For the Spanish coach, creator of the national team who dominated the football scene, the key came from behind: “The problem comes from afar, not from yesterday. Spain did not manage the game well. Players must reflect, take an exam of conscience. If there was a mistake, we have already made it. Switzerland, knowing itself inferior, always knew what to do … “.
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CARLOS MARTINEZ
DAILY AS
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Does a favorite fall?
The defeat of Spain caused a great surprise throughout the world. The National Team started out as one of the great candidates and the defeat against Switzerland made the World Sports Press start to doubt whether the favoritism granted before the Championship were founded or not … Arrigo Sacchi, former coach, defined the match for graphically: “Spain was a Ferrari without gasoline and Switzerland, a Six hundred with a full tank.”
Photo:
JUAN FLOR
DAILY AS
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