DURBAN, South Africa(AP) Switzerland pulled off a shocking upset at the World Cup on Wednesday, beating European champion Spain 1-0 on Gelson Fernandes' second-half goal.
Fernandes clipped the ball into the net in the 52nd minute, ending Spain's run of 12 straight wins and handing the Spanish team its second loss in 50 games. Spain's only other defeat during the stretch was to the United States, at the Confederations Cup in South Africa last year.
"Today wasn't our day,'' Spain coach Vicente del Bosque said. "We have two games ahead of us. We have to find a way to win them.''
Spain outshot the Swiss 24-8 and held the ball 63 percent of the time, but could find no way through Switzerland's determined defense.
It was Switzerland's first win over Spain.
Eren Derdiyok created Switzerland's goal by surging through the center of Spain's defense and rounding Iker Casillas on one of his team's rare attacks. Gerard Pique's desperate tackle stopped Derdiyok, but Fernandes was on hand to pounce on the loose ball.
At the final whistle, Fernandes fell to his knees and raised both arms to the sky. The entire team then went to the small section of Swiss fans in the Moses Mabhida Stadium and saluted them as they cheered and rang alpine cow bells.
Derdiyok nearly doubled the Swiss lead in the 75th minute when he shrugged off Carlos Puyol's tackle and poked the ball past Casillas only to see the shot rebound off the post.
Spain midfielder Xabi Alonso came closest to equalizing when his powerful drive in the 70th minute slammed into the cross bar.
Spain's misery was compounded when Andres Iniesta was taken out in the 77th minute after a crunching tackle from Stephan Lichtsteiner.
Switzerland was knocked out of the last World Cup on penalties by Ukraine in the round of 16 without conceding a goal in the tournament and has now gone 490 minutes in World Cup play without being scored upon.
Spain was lifted before the kick off by the return of Iniesta, but the Barcelona midfielder could not provide the spark to ignite his country's attack.
Del Bosque brought on Liverpool striker Fernando Torres in the 62nd minute, but he, too, could find no way through the Swiss wall of defenders.
David Villa was Spain's most dangerous forward, but the top scorer from the European Championships in 2008 repeatedly saw his efforts blocked or go wide.
Villa got by Lichtsteiner in the 10th minute, but goalkeeper Diego Benaglio dived at his feet to snuff out the chance. Then his free kick deflected wide off the wall after Stephane Grichting pulled down Iniesta just outside the penalty area.
With Spain's forwards sputtering, it was center back Gerard Pique who came closest to breaking the stalemate when Iniesta's through ball in the 24th minute set him free and he fired low - only to see Benaglio save the shot.
Villa showed the frustration creeping into Spain's game when he flung both arms into the air after Iniesta had blazed a shot high over the bar shortly before half time.
Spain and Switzerland were the last teams to play their opening games in the tournament. Chile beat Honduras 1-0 in the day's other Group H match.
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