Beausejour on target as Chile win

Jean Beausejour
12 April 2012

Jean Beausejour secured Chile's first World Cup win since 1962 as the South Americans made an impressive tournament entrance against Honduras with a 1-0 victory.

Beausejour rewarded coach Marcelo Bielsa for his attacking approach by claiming the only goal after 34 minutes of an entertaining Group H encounter at Nelspruit's striking Mbombela Stadium.

With Alexis Sanchez a constant threat, Chile should have won more convincingly with a number of chances squandered, particularly in the second half. Waldo Ponce had the best of them when he headed straight at Noel Valladares from point-blank range.

Honduras suffered a blow before their first World Cup fixture in 28 years as Cesar de Leon was ruled out of the tournament with a hamstring injury. Fortunately for coach Reinaldo Rueda there was time to replace the experienced midfielder in his squad with Jerry Palacios, brother of Tottenham's Wilson and the defender Johnny, making Honduras the first country to feature three brothers in a World Cup squad.

Chile made the running from the outset on the part-natural, part-artificial surface and earned a free-kick after two minutes which Matias Fernandez fired narrowly over. Honduras goalkeeper Valladares then had difficulty handling a swerving long-range shot from Arturo Vidal and Jorge Valdivia saw a powerful effort deflected for a corner.

With Rueda watching from the stands due to a touchline ban, Honduras did not create a chance of note until 17 minutes when Carlos Pavon dragged a shot wide.

The World Cup debutants managed to repel a series of raids but were finally caught out when Sanchez played in Mauricio Isla and he pulled back across goal for Beausejour to slide in. Sanchez had another opportunity before the break but Valladares parried while Honduras ended the first half with Ramon Nunez forcing Claudio Bravo to tip over a free-kick.

Chile threatened again straight from the restart with Sanchez playing in Beausejour after a tricky run but Wigan's Maynor Figueroa produced a fine tackle.

The South Americans should have doubled their lead after 64 minutes when Vidal headed a Fernandez free-kick into a six-yard box free of defenders but Ponce stooped to head straight at Valladares.

Valdivia did put the ball in the net 15 minutes from time but Sanchez had clearly handled after Valladares beat out a long-range shot.

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