2010 FIFA World Cup, Group H: Swiss Stun Spain; Chile Blanks Honduras

Group H play commenced Wednesday in South Africa as the World Cup continued with the last four teams to take to the pitch.

At Nelspruit:

 48 years to the day after they last won a World Cup game (and that was whey they were the host country), Chile defeated Honduras 1-0.  Jean Beausejour scored the only goal of the match at 34 minutes.  In the snapshot above, from Eugene Hoshiko for Associated Press, here is Chile's Pablo Contreras getting his face full of Honduras' Edgard Alvarez.

At Durban:

Gelson Ferndandes scored the only goal of the match at 52 minutes (that's him, right, celebrating along with teammate Tranquillo Barnetta in this Associated Press photo from Julie Jacobson) as Switzerland shocked reigning European champions Spain 1-0.  No team that has lost its' opening contest has ever come back to win the World Cup title.


GROUP H STANDINGS:


1. Chile (GP: 1; GD: +1; PTS: 3)
    Switzerland (GP:1; GD: +1; PTS: 3)
    Honduras (GP: 1; GD: -1; PTS: 0)
    Spain (GP: 1; GD: -1; PTS: 0)