Argentina won 1-0 in a close FIFA World Cup Qualifying – CONMEBOL match against Chile. Julián Álvarez’s single goal came in the 16th minute from a perfect pass by Thiago Almada. At the beginning, Argentina took charge and chances from Almada, De Paul and Messi forced Chile’s goalkeeper to make many saves. Chile tried through the play of Alexis Sánchez and Lucas Cepeda, but Emiliano Martínez played a strong game. Even though Argentina faced pressure near the end and Chile made several changes in the lineup, they still managed to keep the win.
Shortcomings Of Chile
Throughout most of the match, Chile couldn’t turn important opportunities into goals. Even though Cepeda, Altamirano and Sánchez fired many times, most of their shots were defended well by Argentina’s goalkeeper. Unlike in their previous games, the midfielders didn’t show enough assurance to make crucial passes and the chances from set pieces did not lead to goals. Matters with discipline also affected their style, as events involving Maripán, Vidal and Cepeda messed up their way of defending. With so many fouls by Chile, Argentina managed to recover the ball and prevent Chile from dominating towards the end.
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What Chile Could Have Done Better
Chile could have tried to convert more of their attacks to goals, especially in the later part of the match. In the first half, they could move the ball into Argentina’s area, but their finishing was poor and either the shots were missed or kept out. Playing better passes in the final part of the field and reacting more quickly might have breached Argentina’s backline. Chile might have continued to dominate the game if there were fewer unwanted fouls. If Chile managed their mistakes better, especially after Messi and Álvarez left, they might have managed to score a goal.
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