The Chilean team debuted with a lackluster draw against Peru in the 2024 Copa América. In a duel played in Arlington, Texas, Chile suffered with the little connection it had from midfield onwards and succumbed to the dedicated Peruvian background that dynamited any chance to open the scoring for those led by Ricardo Gareca.
The Rimac team was even able to obtain the victory. However, Claudio Bravo was notable for drowning out the goal cry on two occasions. The mood was not the best once the match ended and in the dressing room they recognized that they were left behind against a team that stands as a direct rival in the race to qualify for the next phase.
However, in La Roja they throw different darts. The fact is that the commitment was marked by the strong leg and the significant number of infractions committed by the Peruvian team. For this reason, once the comparison is finished, Ricardo Gareca had words to criticize his rival and the role of Judge Wilton Sampaio. In a press conference, El Tigre stated that “We tried to play, Peru tried to stop the game and the referee was very permissive in that regard. So, it is logical that it was difficult for us to create and associate. When we did it we had dangerous actions, but we know that we are going to have matches with these characteristics.”
But Tigre’s criticism was not only for his rival and the referee, but also for the field of play.. The coach explained that “the field was very dry, it was also very small, with very small dimensions and that could have influenced our imprecise play. But we have to adjust to those things. That makes one team fit better than the other.”
Ricardo Gareca’s self-criticism after the draw between Chile and Peru
Without prejudice to the above, the technical director of La Roja knows that there were his own failures and, for this reason, he launched his self-criticism. El Tigre analyzed what happened in the state of Texas and assured that “It was difficult for us, Peru did a good job in terms of pressure and, in addition, we had some inaccuracies. I think the tie is deserved for what both teams have done. The game was very even.”
Finally, the trans-Andean showed his optimism for the future. The fact is that, despite the tie against the Peruvians, He is not “worried. Beyond the fact that we had the illusion of being able to win the game, I think that the most important thing of all is to add in this instance and there are remaining games. I think we are where we started, with possibilities.”
When will Chile play again in the 2024 Copa América?
After the equality against the Peruvians, the national team challenges the world champions. In New Jersey, La Roja will face Argentina in a match that has been agreed for this Tuesday, June 25, starting at 9:00 p.m. of our country.
