Half-Time Report: Eduardo Vargas, Charles Aranguiz put Spain on brink of exit

Spain are 45 minutes away from being knocked out of the World Cup as Chile boast a 2-0 half-time lead over the reigning champions at the Maracana tonight.

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The 2010 winners are yet to banish the memories of their 5-1 mauling at the hands of the Netherlands on Friday, as Eduardo Vargas and Charles Aranguiz both struck first-half goals to compound Spanish misery and give them an uphill task in order to progress from Group B.

Spain endured a nervy start as Vargas saw his effort deflected narrowly wide, while Gonzalo Jara went close from the resulting corner.

Xabi Alonso could have fired La Roja ahead on 17 minutes but shot straight at the goalkeeper, and the Real Madrid man paid the ultimate penalty for the miss minutes later as Vargas wriggled free of his marker to tap home Aranguiz's cross on the 20-minute mark.

It went from bad to worse for Vicente del Bosque's side shortly before the break, as Iker Casillas fumbled Alexis Sanchez's free kick before Aranguiz fired home the rebound to leave Spain on the brink of an early exit.