Spain comes to terms with reality against Chile
Spain faces just one possibility of success in the current World Cup: winning both games they have ahead of them by as many goals as…
Spain’s Xabi Alonso, left, and Cesc Fabregas look on before a press conference at the Atletico Paranaense training center in Curitiba, Brazil, Sunday, June 15, 2014. Spain will play in group B of the Brazil 2014 World Cup. (AP Photo/Manu Fernandez)
Spain faces just one possibility of success in the current World Cup: winning both games they have ahead of them by as many goals as possible.
After the 5-1 thrashing of La Roja at the hands of Holland, the team has had a few days to reflect on their mistakes and get a grip before the competition engulfs them once more, and against Chile they will need to face the fact that they are a step away from the point of no return.
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The Chilean national team will be a tough opponent. The South Americans have been preparing for this match since four years ago, and much like Holland found their revenge in the tournament opener, the team coached by Sampaoli will look for a victory that they saw as a very clear possibility in the group round in South Africa 2010.
Also, Chile knows a tie against Spain can virtually qualify them to the next round. Sampaoli and Claudio Bravo have both publicly said they will not actively seek a tie against Spain, and that they are prepared to get the three points against the European version of La Roja, but the seed of how convenient a draw would be for their aspirations has already been planted in their heads, and thats another aspect that will play against Spains chances of victory.
Regardless, Del Bosque and his team will need to focus on their ultimate objective, and not really worry about Chiles approach to the match.
Spain is thinking win
Spain’s head coach Vicente Del Bosque waits for the start of the group B World Cup soccer match between Spain and the Netherlands at the Arena Ponte Nova in Salvador, Brazil, Friday, June 13, 2014. (AP Photo/Manu Fernandez)
The Spanish National Team manager told the press that they were only thinking of the ways to get a victory, and once they had the three points secured, they will worry about getting as many goals as possible.
After losing to Holland, only a big difference in the scoreboard against Chile would keep total control of the situation in Spains hands, as that result would not only put them back in the game for the qualification to the second round, but also push Holland to do their best against Chile in the last match, in order to secure their first spot in the group.
Otherwise, if Spain manages to get a victory by only one or two goals difference against the South-American-take-on La Roja, Holland will be tempted to give some playing time to its less used players, which could end up in a victory by Chile and the qualifying of both Dutch and Chileans to the second round –kicking the current World Champ to the curve while at it.
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Spain, thus, needs to come to terms with the gravity of their situation and truly focus on getting as close as possible to a big upset victory against Chile.
Del Bosque has already said the changes he will make in the starting line up have been decided and it looks like he will inject some speed to its attack — in effect also injecting some live to a team that disappointed on their first showing in the World Cup .
Plus, the team planned an all-attacking training a few days ago, in which Diego Costa, Villa and Fernando Torres spent over an hour consistently shooting at goal.
Its crunch time for La Roja, and also the time to show what these so-revered players are really made of.
