Tonight is the night for the champions of the world to show their class, as amazing as it may seem, and if Spain should fail to do so against Chile there will likely be no way back for the current dual holders of the biggest titles in international football. The defeat against Holland may have been symbolic and shambolic, but in defending so badly when the game was gone Spain may also force themselves to attack more intensively and directly to make up their goal difference, and that is good news for us neutrals at least.
David De Gea injured buttock means Spain coach Vicente Del Bosque has a straight choice between keeping faith in Iker Casillas or putting Pepe Reina in goal after the Real captain slipped up vs the Netherlands, while Chile were delighted to see Arturo Vidal come through an hour of the win over Australia after the Juventus star had knee surgery in May, although they do have Charles Aranguiz one booking away from a ban.
The Dutch have a theoretically easier match against Australia coming up, and with a good goal difference and a win in the bag there is a lot less pressure on the men in orange from the start when compared with the world champions. A win this evening would see them through and almost certainly eliminate Australia at the same time, and when you look at the two squads it is hard to see the match going any other way.
Ange Postecoglou has to rearrange the Aussie back four after Ivan Franjic picked up a tournament-ending injury, with Ryan McGowan is expected to fill in at right-back for the ‘Roos. Netherlands coach Louis van Gaal has no injury concerns, but he has three players on a yellow and may rest some of his older and more important charges in what could be a feisty game.
With both Cameroon and Croatia having lost their openers the match between the two is arguable as big as Spain’s clash with Chile, seeing as the loser is almost certain to be knocked out of the World Cup overall, should this game have a loser. Samuel Eto’o has a knee problem that will keep him out today, but Jean Makoun may be recalled for Cameroon after recovering from an ankle knock. For Croatia forward Mario Mandzukic is back after serving a one-match ban against Brazil, and if Luka Modric can overcome a foot injury they’ll be at full strength.
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