Wednesday June 18th

Group B

Aussies make Dutch sweat

Netherlands 3 Australia 2 (Porto Alegre)
The Netherlands were given a scare before eventually getting past Australia. In the 20th minute Arjen Robben went on one of his runs and slotted the ball past Mat Ryan into the far corner, but a minute later McGowan sent a high ball into the box for Tim Cahill to smash in off the crossbar with a sumptuous left-footed volley. Australia went ahead when they were awarded a controversial penalty for handball in the 53rd minute and Mike Jedinak sent Cillessen the wrong way with a firm shot into the bottom corner of the net, but 5 minutes later Robin van Persie received the ball in the box, turned and fired high into the net. In the 68th minute Memphis Depay's swerving shot from distance skimmed off the turf in front of the keeper and found the corner of the net for the Dutch winner.

Group B

Chile end Spanish reign

Chile 2 Spain 0 (Rio de Jeneiro)

Reigning world champions Spain became the first team to be knocked out of this year's World Cup after losing 2-0 to Chile. In the 20th minute Aranguiz received the ball in the box and passed it to Vargas who kept his cool and knocked it in while off balanced. Two min before the break Casillas returned Alexis Sanchez's catchable free-kick with a weak punch only 15 yards out to the feet of Aranguiz who toe-poked the ball past the hapless keeper. Basquets missed a chance in front of goal for Spain in the 52nd minute and in the 68th minute Chile's Isla missed an open goal after stretching to connect with Mena's shot across goal. Iniesta curled the ball towards the top corner in the 84th minute, but Bravo acrobatically tipped the ball away to deny Spain a consolation goal.

Group A

Cameroon dumped out

Croatia 4 Cameroon 0 (Manaus)

Mario Mandzukic scored twice as Croatia put 4 past 10-man Cameroon to keep their hopes alive. In the 11th minute a ball into the area fell to Perisic who passed it to Olic on the 6-yard line to knock into the back of the net. Cameroon were reduced to 10 men in the 40th minute when Alex Song saw red for an off-the-ball incident and 3 minutes after the break found themselves further behind when a poor clearance from Itandje found Perisic who darted into the box and beat him at the near post. Mandzukic missed the target when through on goal in the 50th minute but headed in unchallenged from a corner kick in the 61st minute. In the 74th minute Eduardo curled a low shot that the keeper could only parry into the path of Mandzukic who tucked in his second and Croatia's fourth.