Group B of the 2014 FIFA World Cup consisted of both finalists of the previous World Cup in Spain (defending champions), the Netherlands (previous runners-up), Chile, and Australia. Play began on 13 June and ended on 23 June 2014. The Netherlands and Chile progressed to the knockout stage, while Australia and Spain were eliminated after suffering two defeats in their opening two matches. Chile were eliminated by hosts Brazil in the round of 16 on penalties, while the Netherlands made their way to the semi-finals in which they lost to eventual runners-up Argentina, also on penalties. The Netherlands won the match for third place with a convincing 3–0 victory against Brazil.
Teams Draw position Team Confederation Method ofqualification Date ofqualification Finalsappearance Lastappearance Previous bestperformance FIFA Rankings October 2013 June 2014 B1 (seed) UEFA UEFA Group I winners 15 October 2013 14th 2010 Winners (2010) 1 1 B2 UEFA UEFA Group D winners 10 September 2013 10th 2010 Runners-up (1974, 1978, 2010) 8 15 B3 CONMEBOL CONMEBOL third place 15 October 2013 9th 2010 Third place (1962) 12 14 B4 AFC AFC fourth round Group B 2nd runners-up 18 June 2013 4th 2010 Round of 16 (2006) 57 62
Notes
Standings
Netherlands advanced to play Mexico (runner-up of Group A) in the round of 16. Chile advanced to play Brazil (winner of Group A) in the round of 16.
Matches Spain vs Netherlands
The two teams had met in 9 previous matches, including in the 2010 FIFA World Cup Final, won by Spain 1–0 after extra time. This was the first time in the FIFA World Cup that the previous finalists met in the group stage.
Halfway into the first half, the referee judged that Diego Costa caught a trailing leg from Stefan de Vrij's attempted tackle. Xabi Alonso scored the penalty kick for Spain, shooting into the bottom-right corner with his right foot, putting them into the lead. They were unable to keep the lead until half time though, with Robin van Persie scoring a 15-yard diving looping header after a long ball from Daley Blind from the left after he spotted Iker Casillas slightly off his line. In the second half, Blind assisted another goal for Netherlands, this time setting up Arjen Robben who controlled the pass before coming inside to finish with his left foot from ten yards out. Twelve minutes later, Netherlands scored again, as De Vrij headed the ball in from a tight angle from a Wesley Sneijder free kick on the left. Spanish goalkeeper Iker Casillas protested that he had been fouled by Van Persie, but the goal was allowed to stand and Casillas received a yellow card for his protest. Not long after this, a backpass from Sergio Ramos was miscontrolled by Casillas with his left leg, resulting in Van Persie gathering the ball and scoring into an empty net for his second goal of the game. The fifth goal for Netherlands was a solo effort from Robben. Having received the ball near the halfway line from a Wesley Sneijder pass, he outran Ramos, Jordi Alba and Casillas, before slotting the ball into the net from 10 yards out with his left foot.
The 5–1 scoreline was the biggest loss margin for a defending champion in the FIFA World Cup, and also Spain's second biggest loss in the World Cup after their 6–1 thrashing against Brazil in 1950. With their goals, Van Persie and Robben became the first Dutch players to score in three World Cups. Casillas and Xavi joined Andoni Zubizarreta as the only Spanish players to appear in four World Cups.
GK 1 Iker Casillas (c) RB 22César AzpilicuetaCB 3 Gerard PiquéCB 15Sergio RamosLB 18Jordi AlbaRM 8 XaviCM 16Sergio BusquetsLM 14Xabi Alonso RW 21David Silva LW 6 Andrés IniestaCF 19Diego Costa Substitutions:FW 9 Fernando Torres FW 11Pedro MF 10Cesc Fàbregas Manager:Vicente del Bosque GK 1 Jasper CillessenCB2 Ron VlaarCB 3 Stefan de Vrij CB 4 Bruno Martins IndiRWB7 Daryl JanmaatLWB5 Daley BlindCM 8 Jonathan de Guzmán CM 6 Nigel de JongAM 10Wesley SneijderCF 9 Robin van Persie (c) CF 11Arjen RobbenSubstitutions:MF 20Georginio Wijnaldum DF 13Joël Veltman FW 17Jeremain Lens Manager:Louis van Gaal
Man of the Match: Robin van Persie (Netherlands)
Assistant referees: Renato Faverani (Italy) Andrea Stefani (Italy) Fourth official: Svein Oddvar Moen (Norway) Fifth official: Kim Haglund (Norway)
Chile vs Australia The two teams had met in five previous matches, including in the 1974 FIFA World Cup group stage, a 0–0 draw.
Chile took a 2–0 lead within the first 15 minutes. First, Alexis Sánchez controlled an Eduardo Vargas header in the penalty area to slot home. Two minutes later, Jorge Valdivia's shot from a Sánchez pass doubled the lead. Australia pulled one back through a Tim Cahill header from a cross by Ivan Franjic before half time. Australia could not find the equaliser in the second half, and in stoppage time, Chilean substitute Jean Beausejour converted the rebound after Mauricio Pinilla's shot was saved by Mathew Ryan.
With their respective goals, Cahill became the first Australian player to score in three World Cups, while Beausejour became the first Chilean player to score in two World Cups.
GK 1 Claudio Bravo (c)RB 4 Mauricio IslaCB 17Gary MedelCB 18Gonzalo JaraLB 2 Eugenio MenaRM 20Charles Aránguiz CM 21Marcelo DíazLM 8 Arturo Vidal RF 7 Alexis SánchezCF 10Jorge Valdivia LF 11Eduardo Vargas Substitutions:MF 16Felipe Gutiérrez MF 15Jean Beausejour FW 9 Mauricio Pinilla Manager: Jorge Sampaoli GK 1 Mathew RyanRB 2 Ivan Franjic CB 22Alex WilkinsonCB 6 Matthew ŠpiranovićLB 3 Jason DavidsonCM 15Mile Jedinak (c) CM 5 Mark Milligan RW 7 Mathew LeckieAM 23Mark Bresciano LW 11Tommy Oar CF 4 Tim Cahill Substitutions:DF 19Ryan McGowan MF 10Ben Halloran MF 14James Troisi Manager: Ange Postecoglou
Man of the Match: Alexis Sánchez (Chile)
Assistant referees: Songuifolo Yeo (Ivory Coast) Jean-Claude Birumushahu (Burundi) Fourth official: Roberto Moreno (Panama) Fifth official: Eric Boria (United States)
Australia vs Netherlands The two teams had met in three previous matches, all in friendlies, most recently in 2009.
The Netherlands took the lead after Arjen Robben collected a Daley Blind headed pass at the halfway line, burst into the penalty area and scored with a low shot to the goalkeepers left. Soon after the restart, Australia equalised through Tim Cahill's left-foot volley into the goal from the underside of the bar from Ryan McGowan's cross. Australia took the lead in the second half with Mile Jedinak's penalty, awarded for a handball by Daryl Janmaat, but Robin van Persie equalised after he received substitute Memphis Depay's pass and scored. Ten minutes later, Memphis Depay received a pass from Jonathan de Guzmán and his long-range effort beat Australia goalkeeper Mathew Ryan.
At the age of 20, Depay's goal made him the Netherlands' youngest scorer at World Cups.
GK 1 Mathew RyanRB 19Ryan McGowanCB 22Alex WilkinsonCB 6 Matthew ŠpiranovićLB 3 Jason DavidsonCM 15Mile Jedinak (c)CM 17Matt McKayRW 7 Mathew LeckieAM 23Mark Bresciano LW 11Tommy Oar CF 4 Tim Cahill Substitutions:MF 13Oliver Bozanić MF 10Ben Halloran FW 9 Adam Taggart Manager: Ange Postecoglou GK 1 Jasper CillessenCB 2 Ron VlaarCB 3 Stefan de VrijCB 4 Bruno Martins Indi RWB 7 Daryl JanmaatLWB 5 Daley BlindCM 8 Jonathan de Guzmán CM 6 Nigel de JongAM 10Wesley SneijderCF 9 Robin van Persie (c) CF 11Arjen RobbenSubstitutions:MF 21Memphis Depay MF 20Georginio Wijnaldum FW 17Jeremain Lens Manager:Louis van Gaal
Man of the Match: Arjen Robben (Netherlands)
Assistant referees: Rédouane Achik (Morocco) Abdelhak Etchiali (Algeria) Fourth official: Bakary Gassama (Gambia) Fifth official: Evarist Menkouande (Cameroon)
Spain vs Chile The two teams had met in ten previous matches, including twice in the FIFA World Cup group stage, both won by Spain (1950: 2–0; 2010: 2–1).
Chile opened the scoring when Charles Aránguiz squared a pass to Eduardo Vargas to score home in the penalty area. Near the end of the first half Alexis Sánchez's free kick was parried by Spanish goalkeeper Iker Casillas to Aránguiz who put in the rebound. Spain, which needed at least a point to stay alive in the competition, had its best chance in the second half which fell to Sergio Busquets, but he missed from close range. Spain's loss confirmed the qualification of both Chile and the Netherlands into the knockout stage, and eliminated both Spain and Australia.
Spain became the fifth defending champions to be knocked out in the group stage.
GK 1 Iker Casillas (c)RB 22César AzpilicuetaCB 4 Javi MartínezCB 15Sergio RamosLB 18Jordi AlbaCM 16Sergio BusquetsCM 14Xabi Alonso RW 21David SilvaAM 6 Andrés IniestaLW 11Pedro CF 19Diego Costa Substitutions:MF 17Koke FW 9 Fernando Torres MF 20Santi Cazorla Manager:Vicente del Bosque GK 1 Claudio Bravo (c)CB 17Gary MedelCB 5 Francisco SilvaCB 18Gonzalo JaraRM 4 Mauricio IslaCM 20Charles Aránguiz CM 21Marcelo DíazLM 2 Eugenio Mena AM 8 Arturo Vidal CF 11Eduardo Vargas CF 7 Alexis SánchezSubstitutions:MF 16Felipe Gutiérrez MF 10Jorge Valdivia MF 6 Carlos Carmona Manager: Jorge Sampaoli
Man of the Match: Eduardo Vargas (Chile)
Assistant referees: Sean Hurd (United States) Joe Fletcher (Canada) Fourth official: Nawaf Shukralla (Bahrain) Fifth official: Yaser Tulefat (Bahrain)
Australia vs Spain The two teams had never met before. Australia forward Tim Cahill was suspended for the match due to accumulation of yellow cards.
In a match between two already-eliminated teams, Spain went in front in the 36th minute after Andrés Iniesta threaded a pass down the right to overlapping full-back Juanfran, who then crossed the ball low to David Villa to finish with a back flick of his right foot low to the net. In the second half, Fernando Torres scored Spain's second with a low finish from the left of the penalty area after a pass from Iniesta, before substitute Juan Mata, receiving a pass from Cesc Fàbregas, scored from the right of the penalty area with a low shot between the goalkeeper's legs.
Villa's goal was his ninth career World Cup goal. Already Spain's record World Cup goalscorer, he also joined Fernando Hierro, Raúl and Julio Salinas as Spanish players who had scored in three World Cups.
GK 1 Mathew RyanRB 19Ryan McGowanCB 6 Matthew Špiranović CB 22Alex WilkinsonLB 3 Jason DavidsonCM 17Matt McKayCM 15Mile Jedinak (c) CM 13Oliver Bozanić RW 7 Mathew LeckieCF 9 Adam Taggart LW 11Tommy Oar Substitutions:MF 10Ben Halloran MF 14James Troisi MF 23Mark Bresciano Manager: Ange Postecoglou GK 23Pepe ReinaRB 5 JuanfranCB 2 Raúl AlbiolCB 15Sergio Ramos (c) LB 18Jordi AlbaCM 14Xabi Alonso CM 17KokeAM 6 Andrés IniestaRW 20Santi Cazorla LW 7 David Villa CF 9 Fernando TorresSubstitutions:MF 13Juan Mata MF 10Cesc Fàbregas MF 21David Silva Manager:Vicente del Bosque
Man of the Match: David Villa (Spain)
Assistant referees: Yaser Tulefat (Bahrain) Ebrahim Saleh (Bahrain) Fourth official: Norbert Hauata (Tahiti) Fifth official: Aden Marwa (Kenya)
Netherlands vs Chile The two teams had never met before. Netherlands forward Robin van Persie was suspended for the match due to accumulation of yellow cards.
With both teams already assured of qualifying for the knockout stage after their first two matches, this match would decide which team would win the group: the Netherlands needed only a draw while Chile needed a win. The Netherlands went in front in the 77th minute with a header from six yards by substitute Leroy Fer after a Daryl Janmaat cross from the right. Another substitute Memphis Depay got the second in injury time, when he scored from close range after Arjen Robben had made a run down the left before crossing from the byline. With this win the Netherlands won Group B with a perfect record of three wins out of three, while Chile finished as group runners-up.