World Cup dark horses Chile opened their Group B campaign tonight against Australia, who are the lowest-ranked team in the tournament, at the Arena Pantanal.
Alexis Sanchez and Jorge Valdivia scored within the space of three minutes to give the South Americans a rapid start and a two-goal cushion inside quarter of an hour.
A vintage Tim Cahill header halved the arrears before the break, and while the Socceroos created several equalising chances in a spirited comeback, Jean Beausejour made the points secure for Chile with a stoppage-time third.
Below, you can read how the action unfolded in Cuiaba, courtesy of SM's live coverage.
Evening, all. To the shock of Spain, Netherlands have just delivered a huge statement of intent, to take Group B by the scruff of the neck. How will Chile and Australia respond in Friday's final match?
The South Americans have been tipped as potential dark horses, to at least do well at this World Cup, and their opening test is against the lowest-ranked country at this summer's tournament.
Team news from the Arena Pantanal will be with you shortly...
CHILE: Bravo; Jara, Mena, Medel, Isla; Aranguiz, Vidal, Diaz, Valdivia; Sanchez, Vargas
AUSTRALIA: Ryan; Franjic, Spiranovic, Wilkinson, Davidson, Bresciano, Milligan, Jedinak, Oar; Cahill, Leckie
The hugely positive team news coming from the Chile camp is that star midfielder Arturo Vidal is fit, with the swelling surrounding his right knee having ceased enough for him to start.
The 27-year-old, who scored 11 goals in 32 appearances for runaway Serie A winners Juventus this season, underwent an operation on his meniscus last month and had been a World Cup doubt.
Vidal's form over the past two years has reportedly made him a prime target for Manchester United, so Red Devils fans who are staying awake tonight will have their eyes firmly on him.
Gary Medel off Cardiff City has often played alongside Vidal at international level, but Chile have preferred to use the tough-tackling utility man in central defence, and they do so here.
Chile have Vidal's goals from midfield, but their man attacking threat of course comes in the shape of Alexis Sanchez, who almost singlehandedly took down England at Wembley last month.
The form of the pacey Barcelona forward will largely determine how far the South American's can go. He is not a one man band, though, Valencia's Napoli loanee Eduardo Vargas is also a danger.
Another familiar name, to English followers, in the Chile lineup, is former West Bromwich Albion defender Gonzalo Jara, who was released by Nottingham Forest last month. He may be used alongside Medel at centre-back, or on the right side of defence. Either way, Chile appear to be going 4-3-3.
Australia have also been handed a fitness boost, with veteran winger Mark Bresciano shaking off a back injury to start in a team skippered by Crystal Palace captain Mile Jedinak.
Tim Cahill was a prolific goalscoring midfielder in his days at Everton, but at 34 now, he is prolonging his legs by playing up front. He still loves a good header arriving into the box mind!
Cahill and Bresciano apart, this is a very different Australia side that has competed in their two most recent World Cups, with the golden generation of Premier League stars such as Harry Kewell, Mark Viduka, Lucas Neil and Mark Schwarzer now well into their international retirements.
This is a much younger Socceroos side, one which includes seven players from their native A-League, three of whom start tonight - Mark Milligan, Matthew Spiranovic and Ivan Franjic.
It will be a surprise to many that two players from England's League One are among the Aussie subs - Preston North End defender Bailey Wright and Swindon Town's former Tottenham Hotspur midfielder Massimo Luongo. Look out also for silky winger Oliver Bozanic also. He has a great left peg.
How the Spain result would have gone down in the Chile camp I am not so sure. They may have been anticipating the World Cup holders running away with the group and they and Netherlands fighting for second. Now, though, it is likely that Chile will have to beat Spain to get into the last 16.
Australia are out to prove that they are not just here to make up the numbers in Group B. Their 62nd-place world ranking makes them statistically the weakest team in the tournament.
Around 10 minutes until kickoff now. The referee tonight is Noumandiez Doue of Ivory Coast.
STAT: Australia have reached the knockout stages once in their three World Cup appearances - in 2006. Chile have done so in their two most recent outings, in 1998 and 2010.
ONE TO WATCH: It has to be Alexis Sanchez. Another supposed United target, the Barcelona forward has the speed and finishing ability to rip poor defences apart. Can Australia's back line cope?
PREDICTION: I think that Chile will prove too classy going forward for an untested and inexperienced Australian defence. The Socceroos might bag one though. I'll go for 3-1 to the men in red.
The two managers, Jorge Sampaoli of Chile and Australia's Ange Postecoglou exchange crests after the national anthems. Group B's opener gave us a classic. What have these two got in store?
KICKOFF: Chile get us underway. Brace yourselves. This World Cup has been brilliant so far...
Davidson, known for being an offensive full-back, knocks the ball into the left channel for Cahill to chase, but the mohican-sporting Medel has the pace to get in front and draw a foul.
Jara's sloppy pass is intercepted by Jedinak, who lifts a ball over the head of Medel for young Tommy Oar to run onto. Chile keeper and captain Claudio Bravo is quick off his line to clear.
This has been a fairly slow start by Chile, but they are just beginning to get on the ball for longer periods in midfield, with Valdivia coming deep to find space and try and link up play.
GOAL! CHILE 1-0 AUSTRALIA (ALEXIS SANCHEZ)
Chile score with their first real chance of the game, and little surprise that Sanchez is the man who runs off celebrating. They get a bit lucky, with the ball bouncing into the path of Aranguiz near the right byline. Aussie keeper Ryan comes out to meet him, and Aranguiz turns quickly to stand a cross up. Vargas win the initial header, and it falls to Sanchez, who squeezes a shot in at the near post.
CHILE 2-0 AUSTRALIA (JORGE VALDIVIA)
Two goals in three minutes for Chile, and already they are living up to their reputations as dark horses! Sanchez makes a quick burst off the right, and Vargas makes a great run across the box which takes two defenders with him, creating space for Valdivia to collect a pass inside and place the ball into the top left corner. This could turn out to be a long night for Australia, but Chile are flying!
That slow start I was talking about has soon found some energy, unsurprisingly buoyed by those two quick goals. All of a sudden, Chile are pinging it around and there is a real spice about their play. I apologise for that pun, that I needed only a slight excuse to use. In-fact, I'm not even sorry.
SHOT! The Aussies have the chance to break three-on-three against a slightly misshapen Chile defence. Oar goes for the early shot and from 25 yards, he hits it low, a few yards wide of the post.
Leckie gets down the right and chips a cross back to the edge of the penalty area. Oar sets himself for a spectacular first-time volley, which he scuffs into the ground and through to Bravo in goal.
Isla finds the feet of Vidal on the right inside of the box. He flicks the ball up before attempting a half volley which he drags towards the corner flag. Nice set up, but poor execution from the Juve man.
Leckie is released down the right, and the winger has the pace to get away from Mena. Jedinak makes a dash into the box and would have had a tap in at the back post had Leckie been able to pick him out, but the ball took a nasty bobble and the cross ends up going straight over the crossbar.
Oar originally does well to win a 50-50 with Sanchez as the ball rolled loose in the Chile half, but he panics when he gets possession and horribly overhits a reverse pass intended for Davidson.
Chile are playing with real confidence now and move the ball quickly around the left edge of the box before Mena is released on the overlap, but his cross is diverted behind by Wilkinson.
GOAL! CHILE 2-1 AUSTRALIA (TIM CAHILL)
Australia are back in business, and it is Tim Cahill who was reduced the deficit with a trademark header. Claudio Bravo's wayward distribution originally put Chile under pressure, and although they got men back in numbers, they could not prevent Franjic whipping the ball in from the right, and Cahill climbs high above Medel to head back across goal and past Bravo, who is made to pay for his initial error. Oh Timmy, it's like you've never been away. That's his 33rd international goal, and fourth at a World Cup.
CHANCE! Cahill has a chance to quickly double his tally as Leckie prods the ball through to him beyond the Chile defence. He strikes cleanly from an angle, around eight yards out, but Bravo stays big and blocks well. Chile scored a quickfire brace and Australia very nearly followed suit there!
Vidal spots the run of Isla and finds him with a delightful pass on the inside of Davidson. The full-back carries the ball into the box, and tries to beat Ryan at his near post, but to no avail.
Chile have proved very susceptible to the counter, with Milligan's interception setting up a break in which Oar travels with the ball before being hacked down by Vidal 35 yards from goal.
Bresciano's usually reliable set pieces have been off so far. A poor delivery is cleared by the front man and Australia's two centre-backs have to retreat rapidly as the interval approaches.
We will have ONE minute of stoppage time at the end of the first half...
HALF-TIME: CHILE 2-1 AUSTRALIA
Australia surprise a previously rampant Chile with a spirited fightback to enter the break only 2-1 down, and well in this contest. Tim Cahill's header has given them hope, after Alexis Sanchez and Jorge Valdivia had scored in the space of three minutes to put their side two clear early on.
It appeared as though it would simply be a matter of how many when Chile went 2-0 up inside quarter of an hour. Sanchez squeezed the ball in at the near post after good work from Aranguiz, while Valdivia found the top corner soon after the restart after Vargas's clever run opened up space.
Chile were then in full flow and were passing the ball very quickly, with supreme confidence, but Australia showed that fighting spirit that they are famous for to find a route back into the game. Bravo was guilty of overplaying at the back, and Franjic's delivery was perfect for Cahill to attack.
STATS: Chile have had 70& of possession, but have proved susceptible to the counter attack and that is why Australia have had as many shots on target as the South Americans [two].
KICKOFF: The action resumes in Cubia. Group B is delivering on entertainment so far!
SUBSTITUTION: Australian boss Postecoglou is forced into a change early in the second half. Provider of the goal Franjic has picked up a knock. 11-cap Ryan McGowan replaces him.
Oar has Davidson on the overlap, but instead crosses early for Cahill, who gets in-front of Jara and glances a header well wide. Jara had a big hold of his shirt there and is fortunate that was not spotted.
DISALLOWED! Cahill thinks his magic noggin has done the trick again, but the linesman's flag is raised. After Jedinak leads a break forward, Leckie's delivery is very good, and Cahill heads down past Bravo into the bottom corner, but he had strayed offside. One in the plus column for World Cup officials.
SAVE! A brilliant stop from Bravo preserves Chile's increasingly unstable lead! Leckie dribbles and then shifts the ball on for Davidson, who knocks the ball deep, beyond the marked Cahill, to Bresciano, who steers left footed towards the bottom corner, only for Bravo to make a great save diving low.
BOOKING: Jedinak is the type of player who picks up yellow cards frequently in the Premier League and he is shown one here for a lunge on Sanchez. He follows Cahill into the book.
Australia have got their tactics spot on now, sitting back and hitting Chile on the break. They have a three-on-three situation, with Bresciano on the ball 25 yards out. Jara defends well, forcing the veteran midfielder wide, and eventually he fires a cross in which Bravo and Medel clear between them.
SUBSTITUTION: There is obviously still some concerns over Vidal's fitness as Chile withdraw the Juventus star just after the hour mark. FC Twente's Felipe Gutierrez is introduced in his place.
OFF THE LINE! Great vision from Sanchez to thread a pass behind the Australian defence for Vargas to run onto. He lifts it over Ryan, but Wilkinson brilliantly sweeps it clear before the line.
SHOT! Two half chances for the Aussies. Bresciano is suddenly finding space in the hole, and this time he opts to shoot. He slices the 20-yard effort a few yards off target. Minutes later, Leckie offers them a different option in the box with a near-post run, but he loops a header way over.
Leckie's pace is a great outlet for the Socceroos as helps them up the pitch after they have been pinned back. The winger's latest dribble sees him get as far as the penalty spot before Diaz slides in.
BOOKING: Milligan is the third Aussie cautioned, for a cynical trip on the charging Sanchez.
SUBSTITUTIONS: Both managers possibly sense that there are some tiring Australian legs out there. Tommy Oar is hooked as 21-year-old Ben Halloran comes on for his third cap. Chile swap the ball-playing Valdivia for the speed of Wigan Athletic's Jean Beausejour as the game becomes stretched.
Cahill is again the highest climber in the box and he meets a cross from Davidson, who is continuing to gallop forward when he can. The former Toffee cannot direct this header down, though.
Halloran squares up Isla and tries a cross which deflects off the Juventus man and forces Medel into a clearance which nearly starts a Chile attack, but Vargas is flagged for offside.
Entering the last 15 minutes at the Arena Pantanal now. Can Australia's fighting spirit take them to an equaliser or have they thrown their best punches? Chile are looking weary too, mind you.
Again Halloran gets little change out of Isla on the Australian left. The Socceroos substitute has looked lively since he has come on, but Isla is a shrewd customer and ushers him behind here.
Beausejour gets past Leckie, but his fizzed cross is strongly turned away by Spiranovic.
SUBSTITUTION: A third and final change for the trailing Australians as 34-year-old Bresciano makes way for midfielder James Troisi, who plays his football for Italian outfit Atalanta.
Australia threaten to break away with numbers as Troisi pinches the ball from Gutierrez just inside the Chile half, but unfairly according to referee Noumandiez Doue, whose team have had a good game.
They have fought valiantly in coming from behind, but looking at the fixtures to come, Australia know that they need something from this game to stand any chance of an unlikely qualification. I expect them to throw the kitchen sink now, pump balls up to Cahill and see what happens.
A third Chile goal would obviously kill the Socceroos off, but Sanchez does not get enough bend on a curler from the right edge of the box. Australia should be commended for restricting the Barcelona forward to bits and pieces in this second half. They have really muted his involvement.
SUBSTITUTION: Journeyman striker Mauricio Pinilla, known more for his headline-making off-field antics rather than is scoring record, is thrown on for the final few minutes, with Vargas brought off.
FOUR minutes of added on time are signalled. Will Australia have one more chance?
GOAL! CHILE 3-1 AUSTRALIA (JEAN BEAUSEJOUR)
Chile make the points secure! Ryan comes off his line to make a brave block from Pinilla, but the rebound falls to Beausejour, who, from 20 yards out and will the keeper stranded, fires into the bottom corner. You have to feel sorry for Australia, but then again, I got my prediction right, so not so much!
FULL-TIME: CHILE 3-1 AUSTRALIA
A harsh final scoreline on Australia, whose resolute comeback was admirable and came accompanied with several chances to equalise when the scores were at 2-1. Beausejour had the clinical finish that they were lacking in stoppage time, though, to ensure that Chile begin Group B with a win.
The South Americans were impressive early on as Sanchez and Vidivia gave them a two-goal cushion inside 14 minutes, but when Cahill's header halved the deficit, they were given a greater test than they anticipated. They will have to improve at the back if they want to go as far as some are predicting.
That's it from me. Thanks for joining Sports Mole for this very enjoyable game this evening. Group B is certainly proving to be an entertaining one. Be sure to tune in again for the big one, Saturday at 10pm as England begin their campaign against Italy in Manaus. Until then...
Written by
Joe Fish
Joe Fish
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