La Roja arrives with a history in its favor to the match that will be played today at 8:00 p.m., which has as a memory the last class A match of both teams played in Concepción.
Today is a crucial day for the selection. Chile faces Canada in a duel that could qualify for the quarterfinals or eliminate La Roja in the group stage for the first time in 20 years. Precisely almost two decades ago it was the last match of both teams and although few remember It was in Concepción, in the old Collao.
Was On October 11, 1995, Chile welcomed Canada in Collao, a Marcelo Salas getting off the bus as the top star He was preparing to face a “very poor rival” how he rated Don Balon magazine to the selection of Maple Leaves.
that meeting ended with a 2-0 in favor of the lone star squad with goals from Sebastián Rozental and Marcelo Salas. All nice, but the journalist Danilo Díaz He described the performance as “worrying” as they were unable to easily beat a “non-existent” team. Any other anecdote? The duel was directed by a young Javier Castrilli.
ElS de Concepción was the last class ao match for adult teams. Months before another match had already been played, but in Canada where Chile beat the locals in Edmonton by a score of 2-1. Chile’s only loss to the Canadians was in 1988, andIn the first friendly between both teams played in Toronto, there the locals won by the minimum.
Everything indicates that this is the last Copa América for what remains of that generation that in 2007 set out to raise Chilean football to a high level. The story began precisely in Canada in the unforgettable under 20 World Cup where “La Rojita” beat the locals 3-0. From the current roster, only Mauricio Isla played that match while Alexis Sánchez did not add minutes. On the substitutes’ bench were also goalkeepers Nery Veloso who at that time played for Huachipato and Ronald Fernando Valladares, former Fernández Vial player.
To finish with our heads held high, Nicolás Córdova’s current U20 team also beat the Canadians. Went with a 1-0 score on June 19 In the Elías Figueroa quadrangular played in Calera, the goal was scored by Chilean-American Favian Loyola. A good preparation for next year’s World Cup and perhaps for the match that will be played today at 8 pm at the Exploria Stadium in Orlando.
Photography: Don Balón Magazine, 1995.
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