Spain meets Chile in the second round of Group Stage matches and is hopeful of winning the game.
Spain was torn apart by Netherlands in their first match of the Brazil FIFA World Cup 2014. The humiliating 5-1 defeat has been the worse a defending champion has ever encountered. The Spaniards will be looking to recover from the disaster with a comfortable win over Chile today. If Spain loses this match, it will mark the end of their World Cup quest. A draw will keep their hopes alive mathematically. Spain coach Vicente Del Bosque and his men now have a herculean task to overcome the high-flying South American side.
Talking about the lineup for the Chile match, Del Bosque said he will be making some changes. Chances are Pedro Rodriguez may replace David Silva and Cesc Fabregas may start instead of Diego Costa. Javi Martinez will also slot in for Gerard Pique. The team is hopeful to secure a win after being thrashed by Netherlands earlier in the tournament.
"Anxiousness can also allow you to play better. The worst thing would be indifference. It's good to be a little anxious, but always in measured doses," Del Bosque said, according to Seattle Times.
The opening loss in Salvador was Spain's worst ever defeat since the 1950 World Cup, when the country lost 6-1 to Brazil.
"We can't blame anyone, we lost the game. We just have to look forward. In life, there are solutions for everything," Del Bosque said. "It's still in our hands."
Chile, on the other hand, is fresh off a victory, winning 3-1 against Australia in their opening match. However, many have said that the team was not at its best and looked sloppy at times. Spain and Chile have had 10 head-to-head matches. Spain has won eight of them and the other two ended in a draw. So technically, Chile has never defeated Spain.
"We have to win by whatever means necessary," Andres Iniesta said on Tuesday, according to the Associated Press. "I feel that we are prepared to win. We had a tough start and that makes it hard for it to feel normal around us as we usually feel, like it was before the first game. I feel like what happened (Friday) is in the past. We had the same situation in the last World Cup, but this time is different."
Spain also lost its first match in the 2010 World Cup against Switzerland but went on to be crowned the tournament champions. The Spaniards may be looking to repeat history yet again.
Early predictions suggest either a 1-1 draw or a 3-1 win for Spain if the champions play the best they've ever played.
