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In the end, even if it was the passing of an era and the man who completely symbolised it, it did not matter. Because La Roja, itself was missing from its own line-up.
Droopy-shouldered Spain were completely outplayed by a slick Chilean side marshalled by Alexis Sanchez who was out eager to prove a point or few, and did so most emphatically.
By half-time, Spain had conceded more goals - 7 - in two games in Brazil, than they had in all their 2010 World Cup, Euro 2008 and 2008 games together which was six. Was more to follow? The last time they had conceded more goals was 12, in 1950 - also in Brazil. In simpler terms, Spain, the world champion side, became the first team to crash out of the 2014 World Cup.
And it wasn't that Chile - who hadn't beaten Spain in their previous five meetings -- had opted to hurt them on the break, as teams have done, of late, to great success. It was that Spain - even in the colours of their Roja - were the imposters for the day. They would just not show up, unable to even stitch together three passes without problem.
It was something they could once do it in their sleep. This was proving a nightmare. Javi Martinez coming in for Gerard Pique brought the much-needed stability in central defence, but it was too little too late. Pedro, for Xavi meant that there would be more running and width to trouble the Chilean defence, but the South Americans were more than ready.
Hours before kick-off, the lines leading to the Maracana on the Rio Metro were packed with cheering and singing Chilean fans. At each station nearing this giant stadium, while the Chileans would squeeze in, the outnumbered Spanish fan would be left out, just watching the train pick up speed and disappear, a trifle embarrassed at his own inability to force things. Spain felt somewhat like that on the field a little while later.
Eduardo Vargas had a close try inside the first 30 seconds, the ball deflecting just wide off a Spain defender. Then Charles Aranguiz almost headed in off the resulting corner. It was to set the tone for the rest of the game and the manner in which Spain's burial would be carried out. Chief enforcer - the man in the dark coat, and the hammer and nails, hovering over Spain's coffin would be Sanchez. The man, with a bit part at FC Barcelona, had a role in both of Chile's goals.
With his shorts hoicked up to display his ample thighs, the man, possessed, was everywhere. He ran and ran creating space and cutting Spain's apology of a defence and system to shreds.
In the 20th minute, Vargas put Spain out of their misery but actually putting the ball in their net. It came in some style, him sidestepping an advancing Iker Casillas to slot it home. It came after some nifty combination between Sanchez and Arturo Vidal on the right.
The Maracana - bathed in the red of Chile - erupted. Spain were reeling, gasping for breath, some respite, maybe even, some sympathy. None of it was coming.
Minutes before the break, when Andres Iniesta cut out at Sanchez - and the two men didn't shake, instead the former asked the referee to show his clubmate the yellow card - it showed how things had come to pass.
Off the free kick, Sanchez forced a save from Casillas but the booming rebound fell in the path of Aranguiz who found all the time in the world - the Spaniards too slow to react - to make it 2-0 and folds of humiliation for the reigning world champions.
At the start of the second half, when young Koke was brought on for the ineffectual Xabi Alonso, clearly a generational change was underway within the larger, obvious plot of the match. Then twenty minutes from end, when Diego Costa made his exit - to unimaginable jeering from the 74,000-plus crowd - it said how carefully-laid plans often won't work when they don't have to.
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/followceleb.cms?alias=World Cup 2014,Javi Martinez,Iker Casillas,Diego Costa,Andres Iniesta
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