Chile wins again,closing in to 2nd round

Group H, 14:00 GMT, June 21, 2010
Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium, Port Elizabeth, South Africa

Chile

1 - 0

Switzerland

Mark Gonzalez's 75th-minute goal put Chile on the brink of the second round with a 1-0 win over Switzerland. A fussy referee produced eight yellow cards and sent off Valron Behrami for an elbow on Arturo Vidal.


This win will send the South Americans into their final Group H clash with Spain knowing a point will be enough to take them through to the knockout stages.

Scoring Summary

Chile	Switzerland
Mark González (75')

Match Stats

Chile

Switzerland

19(6)	Shots (on Goal)	5(0)
20	Fouls	25
5	Corner Kicks	3
9	Offsides	0
69%	Time of Possession	31%
6	Yellow Cards	3
0	Red Cards	1
0	Saves	5

Match Information

Stadium:	Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium, Port Elizabeth, South Africa
Attendance:	40,000
Match Time:	14:00 GMT
Official(s):	Khalil Al Ghamdi (Saudi Arabia)

Man of the Match: Alexis Sanchez

MATCH SUMMARY

Man of the Match: Alexis Sanchez - Though Jorge Valdivia also made a good impression after his arrival as a second-half substitute, it was Chile's flying forward who caught the eye once more thanks to his pace, invention and repertoire of tricks. His value is soaring game by game.

Chile verdict: Marcelo Bielsa's well-drilled side are delivering on the promise that many felt they had prior to the tournament and now top the group with maximum points. After another fluent and energetic display, a draw against Spain in their final game will secure top spot and they look real dark horses for the tournament. They could have enjoyed a greater margin of victory though and may have to be more ruthless.

Switzerland verdict: Ottmar Hitzfeld's size were inhibited by the dismissal of Valon Behrami in the first half but three points from two games against the group favourites hardly ranks as a disappointing tally. Though a win against Honduras in their final game will not completely guarantee their progression, they have a good base to work from. Will need to find more of a cutting edge though, as demonstrated by Eren Derdiyok's late miss, and doubts remain as to whether they can chase a game.

Could do better: Officials and players- Once again we saw a referee - in this case Khalil Al Ghamdi of Saudi Arabia - prove far too card-happy as he produced a succession of bemusing bookings. Valon Behrami was also hard done by when being dismissed for fending off Arturo Vidal. However, some mitigation comes in the fact that certain players seem so committed to embarrassing play-acting. Steve von Bergen joins Ivory Coast's Kader Keita in this club of shame after an over-the-top reaction in the second half.

Stat attack: Humberto Suazo's second-minute yellow card is the joint third-quickest booking ever awarded at the World Cup (two have been awarded in the first minute).