Impressive at the last Fifa World Cup, and through qualifying for this one, within 15 minutes of their Group B opener against Australia, Chile seemed set to live up to their billing.
Tagged by many as a team to prosper in Brazil – Pele has labelled them South America’s finest, although that can be taken with a hefty handful of salt – for the opening half hour at Cuiaba’s Arena Pantanal they looked just that.
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Jorge Sampaoli’s men cast the minds back to those heady South African days under Marcelo Bielsa, all high-tempo attacking football, forever hounding and harrying their Australian opponents.
Chile reaped the rewards, first when Alexis Sanchez bundled home the first goal, then Jorge Valdivia supplied a sumptuous finish to a swift counter-attack. A sweeping breakaway, it encapsulated why the Chileans boast so many admirers.
With Sanchez, Valdivia and Eduardo Vargas flitting between space and rivals in the final third, Chile’s distinctive brand of football appeared poised to lift them clear of Australia and alongside the Netherlands at the top of the pool. That Dutch demolition job of Spain, the world champions, an hour earlier in Salvador had sprung open the four-team bracket; an initial Chile victory would therefore pile substantial pressure on Spain for Wednesday’s meeting of the two at Rio de Janeiro’s Maracana.
However, although Jean Beausejour clinched a precious three points late on, Chile’s defence will surely provide Sampaoli with a few restless nights until Game 2. For Tim Cahill, Australia’s Mr Dependable, halved the two-goal deficit 10 minutes before half time, and at times during the second half Chile were too open to other high balls into the penalty area.
Gary Medel, a tenacious and diminutive combatant, trades a protective role in midfield with club side Cardiff City for central defensive duties for his country. Against Australia, he struggled aerially - Vicente del Bosque and Louis van Gaal will no doubt have taken note.
And to be fair, this largely inexperienced Australian outfit - the lowest-ranked team in the tournament – performed infinitely better than expected. Their anticipated crumple may not materialise, after all.
Cahill might be aged 34, but having just registered the 32nd goal of a lengthy international career, the World Cup veteran will certainly keep Gerard Pique and Sergio Ramos occupied next week. Mark Bresciano, another significantly streetwise Australian, would have departed the stadium feeling a few years younger, too.
For all their fine attacking play, Chile must also be a little more intelligent. Yet they have chalked off an early victory, dazzled in periods and underlined their potential. Sampaoli definitely needs to tighten a few areas, but the coach who burnished his reputation at Universidad de Chile through three trophy-laden seasons, and bases his beliefs on Bielsa, is well equipped to succeed.
Given their humiliating introduction to World Cup 2014, Spain will be wary, indeed.
jmcauley@thenational.ae
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