FIFA World Cup 2010: Switzerland vs. Honduras - Full Time Review
Switzerland are one of the strongest defensive teams in the World Cup this year but they had to try to forget that and score as many goals as possible in order to progress to the next round.Swiss coach Ottmar Hitzfeld had been defiant over the defensive nature of his team's play up to this point, though. Honduras could also have progressed but their future was not in their own handsand progress required an unlikely defeat for Spain and a win by a significant margin against the Swiss.
The first half of the game produced some of the worst football seen at the World Cup this year and that is saying something given how many low scoring games there have been. Neither team produced anything special and there were no extended periods of passing. Play was regularly being broken up, which allowed no fluidity to the play at all.
Both sides had one booking each at half time. Thomas was booked for Honduras in the 4th minute as he brought down Gokhan Inler with a very later tackle. The Swiss player, Fernandes, was bookedin the 32nd minute for a foul on the Tottenham Hotspur man Wilson Palacios with a bad challenge.
The Swiss enjoyed the marjoity of the possession throughout the half but with no end product as they weren't brave enough to commit to an overly attacking game.
The best chance of the half, perhaps, came in the 41st minute when a superb cross from Derdiyok was wasted by Nkufo who chose to chest the ball, rather than heading it and so the deadlock was not broken. The first half ended 0-0. Neither team looked like they would be able to produce anything better in the second half.
The second half was more of the same as there was little, or nothing, of note produced by either side. All attacking plays were cancelled out by strong defences on both sides. The Swiss brought on Hakan Yakinat half time for the ineffective Fernandes, who had also been booked. Honduras had a great opportunity to take the lead and perhaps put some life into this match in the 52nd minute, but Suazo was unable to convert an excellent cross from Alvarez.
Alvarez tried his best to put Honduras infront and his shot in the 71st minute looked destined to end up in the back of the net but the Swiss goalkeeper, Benaglio made a smart save to keepthe Swiss hopes of progressing to the next round alive. Frei wasted a good opportunity to put the Swiss ahead in the 73rd minute as he failed to hit the target from close range from a delightfulfreekick by the substitute Yakin.
Derdiyok was truly awful in this game. Missing chance after chance and it was no different in the 83rd minute as he failed to score after a beautiful ball from Yakin, who was on of the better players for the Swiss in the second half.
Undisputably the worst match of the tournament so far ended at 0-0. Switzerland's elimination from the tournament may be a blessing in disguise for neutral fans all over the globe who are watching the tournament. Spain and Chile go through to the next round, with Spain going through as group winners.
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