Defending champion Chile won a 4-0 victory over Japan’s invited team in the Copa America 2019 group phase match at Morumbi Stadium, Tuesday (6/18). Chile and Japan tested each other’s ability to organize attacks in the early minutes. Both teams gave a threat.
Japan, which has the status of an invitation team in a match between South American countries, was able to make it difficult for Chile, which was the 2015 and 2016 Copa America champions.
The young team of the Rising Sun Team appeared confident enough to face the opposing forces which were reinforced by famous names in European soccer competitions such as Alexis Sanchez and Arturo Vidal.
The new Chile fired the first shot in the 14th minute, slowly able to make a meaningful chance. After failing to maximize opportunities in the 28th and 35th minutes, La Roja could only score a goal in the 41st minute. Charles Aranguiz’s corner is headed by Erick Pulgar and cannot be anticipated by Keisuke Osako.
In the 44th minute Japan also had a golden opportunity, but Gaku Shibasaki’s breakthrough pass was not able to be used by Ayase Ueda who faced one on one with goalkeeper Gabriel Arias.
Chile started the second half with an offensive approach and did not give space for Japan to control the ball. The result in the 54th minute Eduardo Vargas broke into Osako’s goal through a shot that had hit the foot of Takehiro Tomiyasu.
After two goals behind, Japan then responded. Intermittent three goals from Vargas’s goal, Ueda again failed to finish the opportunity because the ball was released wide.
Takefusa Kubo, who had just been brought in by Real Madrid, was also unable to steer the ball into the Chile goal after dribbling an opponent and into the penalty box. Ueda even had two other opportunities within five minutes that were unable to change the numbers on the scoreboard.
It is precisely Chile that is able to increase excellence. Aranguiz’s ability to protect the ball and release bait to the goal mouth was not wasted by Alexis Sanchez with a header in the 82nd minute.
One minute later it was Sanchez’s turn to give Vargas an assist to change the score to 4-0 using Osako who had left the position.
The victory of four goals without reply which was scored by Chile made the competition in Group C fierce because Uruguay had also won 4-0 over Ecuador.
Chile’s player line-ups:
Gabriel Arias, Mauricio Isla, Gary Medel, Guillermo Maripan, Jean Beausejour; Charles Aranguiz, Erick Pulgar, Arturo Vidal; Jose Pedro Fuenzalida, Eduardo Vargas, Alexis Sanchez.
Japan’s player line-ups:
Keisuke Osako, Takehiro Tomiyasu, Yuta Nakayama, Naomichi Ueda; Takefusa Kubo, Gaku Shibasaki, Teruki Hara, Daiki Sugioka; Daizen Maeda, Ayase Ueda, Shoya Nakajima.
