Copa America 2015 - Chile 1-0 Uruguay: 5 talking points

Mauricio Isla’s late goal ensured hosts Chile beat nine-man Uruguay and moved into the Copa America semi-finals. In a game that resembled a battlefield at times, Chile dominated the possession before finally finding the goal to knock out the holders.Arturo Vidal and Eduardo Vargas came close to opening the scoring before Edinson Cavani was given his second yellow and sent off after 63 minutes. With time running out, Isla smashed home the winning goal after being set up by Jorge Valdivia. A bad night got worse for the holders who finished the match with nine men after Jorge Fucile was also sent off after receiving his second booking.Here are the major talking points from the game -

#1 Chile vanquish their demons

Chile exhibited greater mental strength to go through

Chile might have scored the most goals and been the best team in the tournament, but had plenty of history to overcome if they were to reach the semi-finals. Although the last decade has been the country’s most consistent, in terms of performances, their inability to win knockout games has been a worry.

In four of the past five tournaments, the hosts have been eliminated at the quarter-finals, thrice by Uruguay. Their record against Uruguay is nothing to write home about and La Roja have not beaten their opponents at the Copa America since 1983.

Yet, on a day when they finished with 80% possession, Jorge Sampaoli’s men ensured that there were no slip-ups on their way to a semi-final against either Bolivia or Peru, which will be their first since 1999.

#2 Battle scares aplenty on both sides

This was supposed to be the clash between the tournament’s best team and arguably the one that least deserves to be in the knockout rounds. A game between the tournament’s attack and the meanest defence. A tactical battle between two astute coaches.

Instead, it turned into a free for all bloodbath that evoked memories of the battle of Nuremberg between Portugal and Netherlands in the 2006 World Cup, a game that finished with four red cards and 16 yellows.

Although there were just six yellows and two red cards in this game, it wouldn’t have been surprising if there had been more. Brazilian referee Sandro Ricci only gave out the first yellow in the 18th minute in a game that did not mellow with time.

Instead, Uruguay, whose overtly physical approach resulted in Vidal limping into the dressing room at the end of the first half, only to return after the interval, only grew stronger. Tempers and tensions were fever pitch by the end of the game, which got Chile a step closer to winning their maiden international trophy.

#3 Cavani lets his team down

Cavani’s display of emotion was unnecessary

For someone who plays his football at Paris Saint-Germain and is often touted as a possible signing whenever any big club is on the lookout for a striker, Edinson Cavani seems to have far too many average and bad days compared to good ones.

When your side have been played off the park and you are the main source of attack, the last thing you want to do is get sent off after the hour mark. But after nudging the linesman in the first half, Cavani’s off-the-ball incident with Gonzalo Jara got him his marching orders and left his side with a mountain to climb.

After speculation that he might not play following his father’s involvement in a car crash in Uruguay, his performance made one feel as though his side would’ve been better served if he wasn’t there.

#4 Valdivia shows his class

In a game that at times resembled a fight rather than a football match, there was one player, who was able to find his voice amongst all of the commotion. Jorge Valdivia might not get the same headlines that Arturo Vidal or Alexis Sanchez get, but he showed why he is just as important to this side as the aforementioned duo.

While Chile’s intense, high-pressure game might seem like the last place where a No.10, who thrives on drifting between the lines, would flourish, the 31-year-old certainly did just that.

Valdivia, who plays his club football in Brazil, oozed class and it was his vision and technical ability that was the difference between Chile scoring a late winner and continuing their run of being dumped out at the quarter-finals.

#5 Tabarez\'s plan goes awry

Uruguay’s plan of defending deep worked for the first 80 minutes

One of the reasons why not every team wants to or prefers to sit deep and let the opponents attack is because all it takes is a moment of magic or a mistake to spoil even the best laid-out plans. Without the mercurial Luis Suarez, it is hard to criticise Oscar Tabarez’s tactics.

For 80 minutes, Uruguay’s defensive solidity kept them in the game and it looked as though they might spoil the party. Chile couldn’t create too many clear cut chances and Uruguay did create a few of their own, with Diego Rolan perhaps wasting the game’s best chance in the second half.

Unfortunately for Tabarez, when you depend on everything to go your way, one little mistake can change the game. Cavani lost his head and got sent off and Muslera, who had a good game hitherto lost the ball for the corner that eventually led to the goal. After that, Uruguay lost their heads and with it any hopes they had of retaining their trophy.

Edited by Staff Editor