Match day 12 marked the start of the penultimate group matches with teams in Group A and B settling the top spots and setting up the first games in the round of 16.
The group B teams started on the day’s matches with Australia and Spain for pride and Netherlands and Chile playing for top spot.
Spain made several changes to their starting eleven with Villa, Torres and goalkeeper Pepe Reina being handed starts.
The Australians showed more attacking intent in the first minutes but it was the Spanish who fashioned the first chance of note with Villa failing to convert the chance.
Villa showed he still had some game left in him despite playing his final match for Spain with the Spanish strike opening the scoring in the 36th minute. The teams went into the break with Spain having the one goal advantage.
Iniesta was the architect of Spain’s second in the 69th minute with a defense-splitting pass that Torres collected on the left of the box before calmly slotting right-footed into the far corner.
Mata completed the routing with Spain’s third in the 82nd minute to salvage some pride for the world champions and ensure that they didn’t finish bottom of the group.
In other match, the Dutch squared it off with the Chileans. Coming into the world cup no one thought the South Americans would progress from the group containing European giants Spain and Netherlands but here they were contesting for top spot.
Netherlands were without their captain Robin van Persie but few thought this would affect their attack as they still had Bayern Munich’s Robben.
Both sides went cautiously into the first half thus the game lacked any attacking impetus in the first exchanges.
The South American had the chance to open the scoring but Vargas headed over. Robben made one of his trademark runs from half way but hit is shot wide off the mark.
It took the game till the 77th minute for the first goal with Netherlands hitting the back of the net after Fer met Daryl Janmaat’s centre with a bullet header that flew into the corner.
The Dutch then confirmed top spot by doubling their lead in the dying minutes through Memphis Depay’s effort and maintaining their 100% record in the 2014 tournament.
In Group A, Brazil took on Cameroon with the Africans already knowing their fate in the 2014 tournament. A win would help the hosts win the group and set up a clash with Netherlands or Chile.
The first minutes of the game saw both teams fail to take their chance but Cameroon were made to pay for their shaky defense as Neymar, inexplicably unmarked, cleverly turned home Luiz Gustavo’s low cross from the left to open the scoring in the 17th minute.
Despite their defence being their biggest drawback, Cameroon looked dangerous at the other end and leveled the game in the 26th minute with Matip finding the back of the net.
It was Neymar’s half however as he restored the Brazilians’ lead in the 34th minute. The Barcelona forward cut inside from the left and sent Itandje the wrong way.
Cameroon’s keeper did his best to keep his team in the game but couldn’t stop the hosts from getting their third goal a few minutes after the restart. Fred had been under immense pressure after below par performances in the previous game but he was on hand to find the back of the net by heading home Luiz’s cross.
The impressive Fernandinho, who came on as a half-time replacement for Paulinho, finished off the scoring cool finish following a fine move involving Oscar and Fred.
In the other game Mexico were playing Croatia, the Mexicans needing a draw to progress to the next round. A win would set up a nervy end to Group A as the top spot would be settled on goal difference.
Croatia had the first chance on goal with Perisic blazing Rakitic’s right-wing cross over in the fifth minute. Mexico had Herrera and Dos Santos fail to take their chances moments after and the teams went into the break level at nil nil.
Mexico’s captain gave his team a deserved lead with 72 minutes on the clock, nodding in Herrera’s corner despite Stipe Pletikosa’s best efforts and a second swiftly followed.
The Mexicans doubled their lead three minutes later as Croatia was trying to get back in the game as Peralta set up Guardado for an easy finish inside the area.
The third came in the 82nd minute with Manchester United’s Chicharito finding the back of the net but Croatia scored a consolation goal five minutes later with a goal that would deny the Mexicans top spot.
Brazil will now face Chile in the round of 16 as Mexico takes on the free scoring Dutch.