Chile lead Honduras 1-0 at half-time

Chile dominated the first half to lead Honduras 1-0 at half-time in the opening World Cup Group H match on Wednesday at sun-drenched Mbombela Stadium.

Striker Jean Beausejour scored on 34 minutes for the South Americans who started brightly as they sought to end a 13-match winless Cup run spanning 48 years and midfielder Matias Fernandez went close off a third-minute free kick.

The Argentina-born star who plays for Portuguese club Sporting Lisbon comfortably cleared the Honduran wall with his free kick and the ball landed on the roof of the net after dipping too late.

Fellow Chilean midfielder Carlos Carmona was cautioned 60 seconds later by Eddy Maillet, the first referee from the Indian Ocean island of Seychelles to handle a World Cup fixture.

Chile were on top territorially and it took Honduras 18 minutes to work an opening close to goal only for 36-year-old Carlos Pavon to disappoint with a weak shot that trickled wide.

Midway through the opening half Fernandez became the second Chilean to be cautioned in a lively game which attracted a large, South African public holiday crowd to the north-east city near the Kruger National Park.

The best known Honduran footballer, Tottenham Hotspur midfielder Wilson Palacios, was next to be shown a yellow card as Maillet ran out of patience following constant offences.

Persistent Chile pressure finally paid off when slick passing outside the penalty area created space for Mauricio Isla on the right flank and his low cross was turned in by Mexico-based Beausejour.