A World Cup upset at last as the Swiss beat Spain

At last, drama! The 2010 World Cup threw up its first major upset (if not its first glut of goals) as European champions Spain were beaten 1-0 by Switzerland in Durban yesterday. The Spanish, who have never won the World Cup in 60 years of trying, began this year's competition as strong favourites but were undone by a Gelson Fernandes' strike in the 53rd minute. The last time Switzerland won their opening match in a World Cup was 1954 and, though only their most one-eyed fan would say they deserved to pinch a win against the Spanish, Vicente del Bosque's side had only themselves to blame for their defeat.

Despite fielding a Who's Who of Superstars, Spain squandered chance after chance with Xavi, Xabi, Andres Iniesta and David Villa (rated so highly that Barcelona paid £30m for him last month) most guilty of profligacy in front of the Swiss sticks. Their final tally of 24 shots at goal to Switzerland's eight gives an idea of how slipshod the Spanish were.

Yet Spain began the match as though intent on laying down a marker for the rest of the tournament, but for all their possession and territorial dominance the European champions struggled to trouble Swiss keeper Diego Benaglio. It wasn't until the 25th minute that centre-back Gerard Pique was put clear by Iniesta only to be foiled by a sharp block from Benaglio.

As Spain began to exert more pressure Switzerland's problems intensified with centre-back Philippe Senderos limping off ten minutes before half-time. But eight minutes after the break the game was turned on its head, and it was the traditional route one method that carved open the Spanish defence. Eren Derdiyok latched on to a long upfield clearance from Benaglio and though Derdiyok's shot was blocked by Spain goalkeeper Iker Casillas, the ball rebounded to Gelson Fernandes, who gleefully fired home.

Spain responded by replacing Sergio Busquets and David Silva with Fernando Torres and Jesus Navas just after the hour mark, but neither they, nor their teammates, could find a way through the Swiss wall erected around their goal.

Spain should still qualify (their other Group H opponents are Honduras and Chile, the latter winning 1-0 in their match yesterday) but they now face the prospect of facing Brazil in the Second Round. "It was not our day," confessed Spanish coach Del Bosque afterwards. "We tried to win in an orthodox way, and at times our second half performance was heroic, but we could not find the goal. The defeat forces us to win both our remaining games, there is no other option. But, the World Cup is not over yet." ·