Chile 1 - Spain 2

BBC

Spain's unquestionable class was just enough to edge them past a talented but ill-disciplined Chile team who deservedly joined them in qualifying for the World Cup's knockout stages.

The European champions have still not clicked in South Africa - and the South Americans gave them a real fright before being controversially reduced to 10 men just before half-time in Pretoria.

But flashes of individual brilliance from striker David Villa and fit-again midfielder Andres Iniesta booked them a last 16 clash against Portugal on Tuesday as they eventually ran out Group H winners.

Chile, who suffered seven red cards in qualifying, must face continental rivals Brazil on Monday without their strongest team after three of their key players were lost to suspension in a first half they threatened to take charge of with admirable invention before losing their heads.

After a shock 1-0 defeat to Switzerland in their opening match, Spain vowed they would not sacrifice the rich attacking instincts for a win-at-all costs philosophy.

Needing three points to guarantee progression, they started this match on the front foot - but Fernando Torres spurned two half-chances and the Liverpool striker clearly looked like a man still feeling his way back after injury.

But Vicente Del Bosque's team were soon being cut open as Chile, who some observers consider to be a South American version of Spain, attacked them with short incisive passes and constant movement off the ball in support of their team-mates.

They could have taken a 10th-minute lead after a brilliant move saw Jean Beausejour - a winger who plays for Club America in the Mexico - execute a clever one-two with Jorge Valdivia, but Mark Gonzalez failed to connect properly with his low cross.

Not dominating possession for once, Spain looked riled but while Chile worked overtime to establish the upper hand they lost their discipline - both Gary Medel and Waldo Ponce were rightly booked for nasty tackles and will miss the match against Brazil.

Firmly against the run of play, Spain's first goal came fortuitously.

Gerard Pique over-hit a long pass out of defence - which the out-of-sorts Torres was never likely to reach - but Chilean goalkeeper and captain Claudio Bravo foolishly raced out of his penalty area to clear unsuccessfully into the path of Villa.

Lurking near the left touchline as the ball squirmed towards him, Barcelona's new £35m signing instantly guided it over Bravo into the net - with his weaker left foot - from all of 40 yards.

Undaunted, the ever-threatening Beausejour raced away from Spain's back-line as he nearly created a dangerous one-on-one with Iker Casillas - but Gerard Pique sped back to make a crucial block.

Clever Iniesta, who has struggled for fitness in the past three months, then gave Spain what looked like some breathing space with a typically classy second goal, executing snappy give-and-go exchanges with first Torres then Villa before coolly guiding the ball into Bravo's far corner with breathtaking simplicity.

The biggest flashpoint moment of the match occurred in the build up to that goal, as Torres went down following his pass after what looked like an accidental trip from behind by Marco Estrada.

Referee Marco Rodriguez obviously saw differently as he gave Estrada his marching orders for a second yellow card offence.

Only when Chile were down to 10 men did Iniesta and Xavi starts dictating the flow of the match with the cute passing triangles they execute for Barcelona week-in week-out.

Recognising this, their Argentine coach Marcelo Bielsa made two changes at half-time - and three minutes after the interval substitute Rodrigo Millar, who replaced Gonzalez, put the South Americans firmly back in to the match.

Finding space for himself among a posse of defenders outside the box, his snapshot took a wicked deflection of Pique to loop high past a flailing Casillas.

Chile now needed just one more goal to put themselves back in the frame to finish top, but Spain had just enough about them to take advantage of the extra man.

With Torres clearly struggling, on came Arsenal captain Cesc Fabregas in his place as they tweaked their formation to leave Villa at the spearhead of their attack.

Although he thrived off the responsibility and set about terrorising the manful Chile defence with real adventure and wit, clear chances were at a premium as the match became more squeezed with both teams eyeing greater challenges ahead; namely a place in the quarter-finals.