By Erwin Wong/Red Sports
South Africa, Friday, June 25, 2010 — Switzerland and Honduras bowed out of the World Cup after playing out a 0-0 draw in the final round of Group H matches.
Both teams were still in the hunt for a place in the round of 16, but Switzerland’s equation was much simpler. A two-goal win would send them through regardless of the result of the other group match between Spain and Chile, but the Swiss could not find the breakthrough they needed.
Instead, it was Honduras which had the better chances at goal. Their guile and pace caused problems for their opponents all match long, but they were let down by their finishing which has plagued them throughout the tournament.
The Central American team came into the match having only two of their 16 shots on target, the worst percentage among all 32 teams in the World Cup, and David Suazo showed exactly why when he headed Edgar Alvarez’s excellent 52nd minute cross well wide despite being left unmarked.
Swiss custodian Diego Benaglio kept his team in the game with a brilliant save from Alvarez’s shot with 19 minutes left, but Switzerland were making little headway in attack despite the second half appearances of veteran attacking players Hakan Yakin and Alexander Frei.
Honduras were getting acres of space out on the break and could have won it on several occasions during the four-minute injury time, the most glaring opportunity when Georgie Welcome’s effort on the breakaway was deflected over the bar and the resultant corner flashing across the six-yard box and goal with two Honduran players within a touch from their team’s first goal in the competition.
They fluffed another chance two minutes later when a five-on-three break came to nothing after a poor final ball, and the final whistle soon after confirmed the exit of both teams.
Spain beat Chile 2-1 to leap-frog over the South American side on goal difference in the group standings, with both teams on six points. Switzerland finished with three points, with their famous upset of Spain in the first match and their World Cup record-setting feat of going 558 minutes without conceding a goal counting for little. Honduras propped up Group H with a solitary point and no goals scored, joining Algeria as the only teams in this World Cup without getting on the score sheet.
| GROUP H | P | W | D | L | F | A | GD | PTS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
SPAIN  | 3 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 2 | +2 | 6 |
CHILE  | 3 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 2 | +1 | 6 |
SWITZERLAND  | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 4 |
HONDURAS  | 3 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 3 | -3 | 1 |
For the World Cup fixtures list with Singapore broadcast timings as well as group tables and the list of CCs with free screenings, go to: http://redsports.sg/2010-world-cup-fixtures-groups/
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