As soon as the game started both teams made perfectly clear what they were looking for in this match. Switzerland's defensive scheme worked wonders against the Furia five days ago, and the same strategy was used against Marcelo Bielsa's squad, who had as much space as they needed in the midfield. Humberto Suazo's caution on minute 2 showed the game was going to be fought teeth to teeth, as every meter was determinant against European's sturdy defense.
The undisputed leader
Mauricio Isla played its best 45 minutes during the first half in a long time. He was omnipresent in the midfield and was responsible for clearing most of Swiss' attempts for his own goal, as well as sending dangerous crosses from the sides when the team was leading the advance. Thanks to his interaction with Alexis Sanchez, the Chilean squad forced Ottmar Hitzfel's players to rely on violence to control the game.
On minute 30 Valon Behrami saw the red card after a controversial foul against two Chilean players. His return to the squad after a long time injury could have hardly been any worse, as his absence severely weakened his team's midfield, allowing Jean Beausejour to jeopardize Diego Benaglio from the left side. Sanchez had many opportunities to open the score, as on minute 40 when he chested down the ball inside the area and shot straight against the European goalkeeper. Things were looking dark for Switzerland, as with only 30% of ball possession it will be tough to obtain the upper hand against the furious Americans.
Humberto Suazo's debut in this competition did not live up to the high expectations everyone was having. For that reason Bielsa decided to send him to the rest room and give Jorge Valdivia and Mark Gonzalez an opportunity on the fields. At the 3rd minute of the second half another Swiss player was cautioned, as Beausejour was keeping the Swiss defense constantly busy. Lead by Alexis Sanchez, Chilean goal was close, and there was little for the Swiss army to do about it.
The beauty of adaptation
As the Europeans were waiting for Chile without purposing any real challenge to the American squad. When Bielsa called Esteban Paredes to join the team it was made clear the siege will be endless. With 4 strikers and three aggressive midfielders, the pressure was about to explode in front of Hitzfel's face. Switzerland received its first goal after 558 minutes in a World Championship, when an association between the three players that joined in the second half (Valdivia made an excellent pass to Paredes, who sent a high ball which Mark Gonzalez headed straight into the net) gave Chile the long coveted goal.
This has been the most violent match up to the moment in the competition. Switzerland's coach is aware "We do not longer have the surprise factor, this has been the toughest match up to the moment", and only with some assistance from the Chileans and a solid victory against Honduras could they advance to the next stage.
Chile will have to do without Matias Fernandez and Carlos Carmona against the Fury, but Bielsa's boys have made perfectly clear they have what it takes to trouble any rival (for only 4 teams managed to claim the six points in play up to now) and the Spanish affair of next week will be decisive to better understand what the future of this competition will be like.
