Don’t Write Spain Off Just Yet

Before tonight’s encounter with Netherlands no-one in their right mind would have wrote off the defending World Champions after just one game.

Yet after the drubbing Spain have just received at the hands of the Dutch that’s exactly what some fans seem to be doing.

It’s not exactly a dream start to the group stage for the Spaniards but it is clear to me that this is far from over.

Before the World Cup started I stated that I thought Chile had a great chance of progressing from Group B into the knockout stage.

My faith in that statement has diminished significantly from then to now and Chile haven’t even played yet.

The reason for my slip in faith is that I expected the Chileans to progress at the expense of Netherlands – not Spain.

All of a sudden Chile’s game versus the Spanish on Wednesday evening is of paramount importance for their prospects.

Lose and the tournament is almost certainly over for them.

Win and they should guarantee safe passage to the next stage of the competition.

This all comes a game earlier than I had expected for Chile.

I thought this must-win scenario would come on the final gameday in Group B.

I thought it would be Chile versus Netherlands in a one game fight for survival after both sides had lost to Spain and beaten Australia.

I thought wrongly.

The stellar performance delivered by the Dutch has turned Group B on its head.

All of a sudden Spain are the one’s under threat from any Chilean progression.

But I wouldn’t write them off just yet.

Spain may not be the same team they were four years ago when they won the World Cup for the first time but they are still a hugely talented team and to write them off at this stage is ludicrous.

If Spain win their final two group games that will probably be enough to see them through.

Spain are such an accomplished side that them winning their final two games is not only plausible it is actually more likely than not.

Four years ago Spain became the first team ever to lose their first match of the World Cup but go onto win it.

Could history repeat itself?