Holders Spain looking to avoid early exit

La Roja face Chile today in hopes of progressing past the group stages .

RIO DE JANEIRO:

After their 5-1 annihilation by the Netherlands, the spectre of a humiliating World Cup group-stage exit hangs over champions Spain ahead of Wednesday’s game with Chile in Rio de Janeiro.

While the nation is still reeling from Spain’s heaviest defeat in 51 years – a result branded ‘a catastrophe’ by the Spanish media – there could be worse to follow at the iconic Maracana.

If Spain lose again and the Netherlands avoid defeat against Australia in Wednesday’s other Group B game, Vicente del Bosque’s side will join Brazil (1966), France (2002) and Italy (2010) in the list of defending champions to have fallen at the first hurdle.

The same set of results would take Chile through, and Jorge Sampaoli’s aggressive, hard-working team, who go into the game on the back of a 3-1 win over Australia, have lost only twice in their last 16 outings.

Spain midfielder Cesc Fabregas has described the fixture as ‘life or death’, but Del Bosque – architect of the triumphs at the 2010 World Cup and Euro 2012 – says there is no need to panic.

“The hours go by and the mood gets better,” the Spain coach told Spanish television channel Cuatro.

“We have the challenge of winning our next two matches. It won’t be easy, but it is possible. We are trying to prepare as well as possible and not be too sad.



“The first half against the Netherlands was good. The problem was the second half. Now people are more optimistic. We need to remember that it is a game and we need to enjoy ourselves.”

Del Bosque has suggested that he will make ‘two or three changes’, with goalkeeper Iker Casillas’s position under particular scrutiny after an error-strewn display in the capitulation to the Dutch.

Pepe Reina is in line to step in, but third-choice goalkeeper David de Gea is struggling with a muscle problem. Pedro Rodriguez and Juan Mata could also come into the starting XI.

Australia aim to shock high-flying Dutch

Australia forward Mathew Leckie believes his side can become the latest to cause an upset at the World Cup on Wednesday when they face a Netherlands team fresh from hammering defending champions Spain 5-1.

The Socceroos desperately need to take something from the game if they are to match their run to the last 16 from 2006 after going down 3-1 to Chile in their opening game.

However, Leckie thinks they showed enough in that game after going down 2-0 inside the first 15 minutes to suggest they can cause the Dutch problems.

“I’m sure Chile didn’t expect such a hard game as what they got and Holland, obviously they’ve now seen that game and they’ll probably review it as well.

“But we’ll definitely hit them in areas they won’t expect and hopefully we can be clinical in the opportunities that we get and we can put a few goals away.

The Netherlands, though, will be full of confidence after humiliating Spain to avenge their defeat from the final four years ago.

However, captain Robin van Persie said experience has taught him not to get ahead of themselves. “The tournament has barely started yet,” he told FIFA.com.

“We achieved an impressive result, but we have a long way to go to win this tournament.”

In the third fixture, Cameroon and Croatia clash in Manaus on Wednesday looking to put their troubles behind them and keep alive their hopes of making the World Cup knock-out rounds.

Both have lost their opening matches, and a victory would be fundamental in staying alive in a tough Group A including hosts Brazil and Mexico.

Published in The Express Tribune, June 18^th, 2014.

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