“Not one shot on goal. We’ve had nearly a quarter of an hour of a game.” 15:00
“He’s had a shot to save now.” 16:05
A slow start for sure but a bracing accelleration to follow.
In the 17th minute, the first chance for Spain. Ramos was sent in on the side of the box. He beat his man and promptly missed the net, the whole net, even the netting. He did hit a camera behind the net. Xavi seemed displeased with the selfishness and for good reason.
In the 23rd minute a crafty bit of passing led to a glorious chance for Pique that the Swiss keeper saved with his left knee.
The Swiss promptly moved the ball up the field and earned a free kick 15 meters from the Spanish box. From a huddle of Swiss, Ziegler emerged and belted the ball on the Swiss net for a relatively easy save, slight bobble.
By the 28th minute the game began to seesaw back and forth, until Iniesta was sent in and Grichting mugged him at the edge of the box. Opportunity seemed to knock for the Spanish.
A full chorus line of Swiss players formed the wall and Villa struck the ball well but it glanced off, wide of the net for a corner.
Soon after Senderos was subbed off for Von Bergen after the former seemed shaken up and lagging the play. Right prior to hitting the sidelines Senderos seemed to be leaning on a Spanish player as a winded fighter leans on the heavy bag in the Swiss box but there was no call.
In the 44th minute an incisive series of passes through the midfield sent in Villa with space on the left wing but his hesitance to shoot cost him the chance. He chipped across the face of goal and the ball fell harmlessly out of bounds on the goal line.
The first half ended a 0 – 0 draw with some exciting buildup from the Spanish but not payoff. For the Swiss, this was true to their world cup pattern having not allowed a goal in all the last world cup.
The second half kicked off and by the 50th minute the Spanish attack seemed to have tightened its pressure around the Swiss goal.
Then, the remarkable: A lazy ball towards the Spanish defense slightly mishandled, some scrambled defending, limbs going every which way, and Gelson Fernandes prevailed to tap the ball into the Spanish net with bodies lying everywhere.
Spanish defender Pique looked up, dazed and bloodied on his temple, and Switzerland were ahead 1 – 0.
Then the game resumed its familiar pattern. The Swiss loaded up their own box, sagged back and defended.
The Spanish darted forward, tested the flanks, played balls it toward the middle but received very little space and no result for their efforts, save a few corner kicks.
In the 61st minute Torres came on for Busquets and Navas came on for David Silva. “Boy they need him now,” rightly said the commentator as Torres sprinted on.
Torres immediately made a difference with his energy, size and skill, pushing Swiss defenders and opening space for a dangerous Iniesta shot that sailed wide past a stone-still Swiss keeper.
Shots on goal at this point in the match were 14 – 2 for Spain.
A bit of midfield play ensued with the Swiss playing counterattacked to some effect as the Spanish poured players forward.
In the 67th minute David Villa broke free down the left side with space. Torres ran into an opening that closed as quickly as it opened. Chance denied by the stalwart Swiss defending.
Then in the 69th minute Torres broke in again on the left. With space in the box his ineffective chip was deflected out for a corner.
The corner came quickly from Xavi. He laid the ball back and Xabi Alonso who thundered the ball hard from 40 meters out, through the glut of players, through the box and off the quivering crossbar. A close call.
A long goal kick from the Swiss landed just over midfield and in a few short steps Derdiyok was sent in for the Swiss.
He did well to dangle through the disorganized Spanish defense, held the ball in the box, deked, faked and finally shot – off the post. The Swiss introduced the ball to the wood in their turn.
A few minutes later Iniesta retired after a sound challenge and Pedro came on. This change of personel seemed to deflate the Spanish and they never truly threatened the Swiss goal again.
Were they out of ideas? Out of gas? Both seemed possible.
Torres continued to provide the most credible spark of their attack but his touch looked understandably rusty after his recovery from a knee injury. Time ticked away and superlatives rained down to describe the upset.
The final score: Switzerland 1; Spain 0.
Switzerland had not won any of its previous 18 games against Spain in international competition. Until today.
Now the Swiss are ahead of their group and poised to qualify for the second round by simply not giving up any additional goals.
The Spanish will have to regroup and hope for good health from their stars in their following games again Chile and Honduras.