Honduras 0-1 Chile Jean Beausejour's strike earned Chile a first World Cup victory for 48 years as Marcelo Bielsa's side got their 2010 campaign off to a winning start.
Despite having last tasted a win in a World Cup match on this day in 1962, against the former Yugoslavia, Chile came into the match well tipped to emerge from Group H alongside favourites Spain.
And Bielsa's men ended a 13-match winless streak in far more comfortable fashion than the scoreline suggests, with Honduras grateful to goalkeeper Noel Valladares for keeping the score down.
Following, too, a start to the tournament best described as uninspired, Chile's ambitious approach - full of one-touch passing, movement and pace - provided a refreshing change.
It was a performance in keeping with Bielsa's attacking philosophy, and one that saw Chile - playing a unique 3-3-1-3 formation - pick up from where they left off in qualifying, during which they scored 32 goals, just one fewer than Conmebol group winners Brazil.
Reported Real Madrid target Alexis Sanchez, given the freedom of Nelspruit by a Honduras team lacking in cohesion or discipline, was at the heart of all Chile's good play.
Predominantly a right winger but happy to drift inside and beyond his attackers, Sanchez was a bagful of tricks, teasing the Honduran defence at every turn and the focal point of the vast majority of the Chilean attacks.
The 21-year-old earned the free-kick from which Chile forced the first save of the match, Valladares equal to Matias Fernandez's whipped effort from 25 yards, while the Honduras keeper also had to be alert to beat away a swerving long-range effort from Arturo Vidal that underlined just why keepers are said to be so wary of the Jabulani balls in South Africa.
Such was Chile's dominance against a poor Honduras side, that the only surprise was that it took until the 34th minute for them to break the deadlock.
There was an element of fortune about it, Beausejour's finish coming courtesy of a ricochet off a Honduras defender, but some fine build-up play between Sanchez and Mauricio Isla deserved its reward.
Chile thought they might have had a penalty before half-time when Sanchez's goalbound shot hit Osman Chavez's hand, but nothing was given by referee Eddy Maillet - one of a number of debatable decisions from the Seychelles official.
Just before the break, Honduras forced their first half-decent effort on goal, Claudio Bravo comfortably tipping Ramon Nunez's free-kick over the bar.
But it was not enough to rouse a response from Honduras in the second-half, which if anything saw Chile's dominance increase.
Just after the hour mark, Bielsa's men twice created golden chances to extend their lead, Sanchez firing the first wide from inside the box and then Waldo Ponce - with the goal gaping - seeing his header from six yards out saved by a sprawling Valladares.
Any hopes of a late Honduras rally failed to materialise as Chile controlled possession inside their opponents' half, and in the end an entertaining encounter petered out towards the final whistle.
Not that Chile were complaining, and they will hope now that a good result against Switzerland in their next group game on 21 June in Port Elizabeth will be enough to see them through to the last 16.
Spain 0-1 Switzerland World Cup favourites Spain suffered a shock defeat by Switzerland as South Africa 2010 served up its first major upset.
The European champions from Spain enjoyed almost total control of the game in Durban but were wasteful in front of goal and went behind after 52 minutes when a long ball found its way through to Gelson Fernandes, who bundled it into the net.
With Barcelona trio David Villa, Andres Iniesta and Xavi unable to conjure a breakthrough, coach Vicente Del Bosque threw on Fernando Torres, Jesus Navas and Pedro, but to no avail as the Spanish slumped to only their second defeat in 49 games.
The result piles pressure on Spain, who were widely-tipped to finally end decades of underachievement on the game's biggest stage and Del Bosque's men could now be forced to face Brazil in the second round if they finish Group H as runners-up. Chile beat Honduras 1-0 in the earlier match.
For the unfancied Swiss, it was a historic first victory over the Spanish and another triumph in the glittering career of their German coach Ottmar Hitzveld.
Del Bosque's men had quickly settled into their rhythmic short passing game and, with Switzerland struggling to get the ball out of their own half, the match came to resemble a training session.
The first real opening fell to Spain right-back Sergio Ramos, who received the ball in space on the right before dragging his shot wastefully wide, much to the anger of his better-placed team-mates Xavi and David Villa.
Moments later, Iniesta slipped a pass through to Gerard Pique, who cut inside his man before firing straight at goalkeeper Diego Benaglio.
The next attack saw David Silva chip a delightful ball over the Switzerland defence for Iniesta, who was brought down on the edge of the area as he tried to get his shot away. Villa fired the resultant free-kick straight at the wall.
The Swiss were forced into a change midway through the half when former Arsenal defender Philippe Senderos limped off with a foot injury and was replaced by Steve Von Bergen.
Lone striker Villa looked skilful and lively, but when he finally found space in the box, he opted to pass, and chipped tamely across the face of goal.
The second half began in a similar vein until the Swiss took the lead with the first real attack of the game.
A long goal-kick was flicked through to Eren Derdiyok, who bundled it past goalkeeper Iker Casillas and the falling Pique to leave former Manchester City midfielder Fernandes with a simple finish.
Spain, who won all 10 of their World Cup qualifiers, looked visibly shaken and Del Bosque responded by sending on Torres and Navas just after the hour mark.
Iniesta and Torres both curled shots wide before former Liverpool midfielder Xabi Alonso almost broke the crossbar with a stunning strike from just outside the area.
With Spain committing more men forward, the game became stretched and Switzerland came within a whisker of taking a 2-0 lead when Derdiyok cut inside Pique and Carles Puyol before flicking a shot which had Casillas beaten but bounced back off the post.
The last 10 minutes were a predictable Spanish onslaught but, with Torres looking rusty on his return from knee surgery, Spain seemed to run out of ideas as their efforts became increasingly desperate.
As it was, Switzerland held firm for a truly memorable victory - their first in a World Cup opener since 1954.