Arturo Vidal buried his UEFA Champions League heartache to set up a 2-0 opening victory for Chile over Ecuador as the Copa America kicked off in Santiago on Thursday.
Juventus star Vidal bounced back from the disappointment of defeat to Barcelona in last weekend’s Champions League final to score a 67th-minute penalty in a man-of-the-match performance.
SSC Napoli’s Eduardo Vargas made it 2-0 late on to give Chile a winning start in Group A as they chase a first Copa America crown in 99 years of trying.
Photo: Reuters
“It was very difficult, they pushed us to the end,” Vidal said. “We are very happy, but we know we have to improve on this. The result is what counts though.”
Vidal admitted he was still weary after turning out for Chile just days after the Champions League final in Berlin.
“My back hurts a bit and I will need a massage after the match,” he said.
The 2-0 victory puts Chile firmly on course to qualify for the quarter-finals. Group A also contains Mexico and Bolivia, who were due to meet yesterday in the second game of the tournament.
Chile had been unable to find a breakthrough until Vidal burst forward midway through the second half to be tugged over by Ecuador’s Miller Bolanos.
Argentine referee Nestor Pitana pointed to the spot immediately and Vidal stepped up to blast the spot-kick high and wide past Ecuador’s giant goalkeeper Alexander Dominguez.
The hosts made sure of victory six minutes from time when Arsenal star Alexis Sanchez released Vargas, who finished coolly for 2-0.
The only black spot for Chile was a red a card for Matias Fernandez in the closing minutes for two cautions.
Chile’s dreams of lifting the title on home soil face stiff opposition from favorites Argentina and five-time world champions Brazil.
Argentina, led by Lionel Messi, and Brazil, skippered by Neymar, have results on their side heading into the tournament.
Brazil completed their Copa preparations on Wednesday in Porto Alegre, beating Honduras 1-0 to rack up their 10th consecutive friendly victory since last year’s World Cup, when they were humiliated 7-1 by Germany in the semi-finals.
The Barcelona teammates are carrying a mountain of expectation on their shoulders.
Messi is determined to finally taste glory at a major international tournament, while Neymar is aiming to erase the memory of Brazil’s World Cup finals debacle.
“I feel I’m in better shape arriving at this tournament than I was at the World Cup last year,” Messi said.
Messi and Argentina fell agonizingly short at the World Cup, suffering a 1-0 extra-time defeat to Germany in the final to extend a title drought which stretches back to the 1993 Copa America.
Argentina open their campaign against Paraguay today and should progress from Group B, which also includes Uruguay and Jamaica, one of two teams from the CONCACAF region invited to bolster the tournament.
Brazil kick off Group C against Peru tomorrow, with Colombia and Venezuela completing the group.
Brazil defender David Luiz said his teammates had emerged stronger from their World Cup finals nightmare against Germany.
“The players who went through the World Cup are more mature,” the Paris Saint-Germain star said. “We are working hard every day to grow, to evolve.”
However, Luiz said Brazil could expect a fierce challenge from their rivals as they attempt to reclaim a crown they last won in 2007.
“It will be one of the most difficult Copa Americas in history,” Luiz said, citing the threat from Chile, Argentina and reigning champions Uruguay.
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