2010 World Cup Honduras v Chile full time report
Honduras 0 Chile 1
Jean Beausejour’s goal was enough to give a stylish Chile all three points against Honduras in Nelspruit, but the Chileans will be wondering just how they didn’t score more.
Inspired by 21-year-old Alexis Sánchez, Marcelo Bielsa’s men took the game to their Central American opponents, but only ended up with Beausejour’s bundled first half effort – which arrived following good work from Matías Fernandez and Maurico Isla – to show for it.
The Chileans dominated the game both before and after their goal, routinely going close through Sánchez, Fernandez and Jorge Valdivia.
Honduras offered little, and were indebted to one of the saves of the tournament from Noel Valladares, who somehow kept out a Waldo Ponce header from just three yards out.
Bielsa will be delighted with the three points, but will want his side to demonstrate more of a cutting edge in their future matches.
They started on the front foot, and never really gave up that territorial advantage.
Playmaker Fernández curled a free kick narrowly over the crossbar in the third minute, before a scramble on the edge of the penalty area resulted in an Arturo Vidal shot that went straight at goalkeeper Valladares, who would later juggle a long range Vidal effort that he should have saved comfortably.
For Honduras, Carlos Pavón struck a wayward shot, and Roger Espinoza saw an effort deflected wide.
Back at the other end, a terrific break by the exciting Sánchez resulted in a chance for Valdivia, whose shot was deflected over the crossbar, before Vidal headed over from a corner.
Club América forward Beausejour popped up at the near post to convert a Maurico Isla cross just 10 minutes before the break, following an excellent ball from Fernandez. A Honduras defender had got to the ball first, but his attempted clearance ricocheted in off Beausejour.
Honduras were appealing for a penalty at the start of the second half, but the referee adjudged Gary Medel’s challenge on Edgar Alvarez to have been a fair one, before Maynor Figueroa’s excellent challenge stopped Sánchez in his tracks at the other end.
Honduras introduced Georgie Welcome shortly before the hour mark in a bid to boost their attacking power, but it was Sánchez who would go close next – sidefooting an effort wide after another pacy break lead by Fernández, before Valladares produced a stunning save, springing to his right to deny a diving header from Ponce when the Chilean defender seemed certain to score.
The Chileans were pressing for a second, and only a superb last ditch tackle from Hendry Thomas denied Valdivia, before Isla headed wide, Valdivia had a goal chalked off for offside and Sánchez drove wide.
Substitute Mark Gonzalez drove three efforts over the bar late on, but the Chileans couldn’t add to their total, ensuring one of the more one-sided 1-0 wins of the competition.
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