Jorge Sampaoli’s men dominated possession for lengthy spells, but crafted a handful of legitimate chances due to their inability to get behind Uruguay’s back four. The hosts have been renowned for their energetic first half starts over the years, but the most impressive feat in the opening stages of the match was Uruguay’s approach.
Oscar Tabarez persisted with a functional 4-4-2, this time moving Diego Rolan alongside Edinson Cavani, whereas Carlos Sanchez and Cristian Rodriguez adopted narrow wide positions. While many were left to believe the main battle would see Egidio Arevalo Rios man-mark Jorge Valdivia in midfield, Tabarez instructed his men to ensure the crafty Chilean didn’t receive the ball between the lines.
Cavani remained goal-side of Marcelo Diaz, who often dropped deeper to receive the ball, and the duo of Rios and Alvaro Gonzalez pressed Charles Aranguiz and Arturo Vidal. Although Valdivia continuously drifted into dangerous areas in the final third, the midfielder was deprived of service due to impressive organization and positioning from Tabarez’s men.
Uruguay’s issue, however, was their non-existent reliable outlet upfront. On paper, Cavani and Rolan was logical: the former would drop deep to stifle Diaz, whilst connecting play with the midfield, whereas the latter’s energy saw Tabarez field the attacker on the last shoulder of the Chilean defence to run onto hopeful long balls.
The Chilean’s coped well from set-pieces — considering their diminutive back-line, and one defensive lapse that Rolan tamely fired at Claudio Bravo — but it was evident that general linkup play between Uruguay’s front two was an intended method of attack. Cavani combined with both strikers prior to his dismissal, but Rolan was harshly penalized for a foul, and Hernandez’s heavy foot halted a potential attack.
Likewise, the lack of creativity throughout the Uruguayan side led to long throws into the box. Bravo slightly misjudged the initial throw in the second minute, which saw the keeper stop Rodriguez’s shot subsequently. This was another attempt to exploit Chile’s lack of height in the box, but Sampaoli’s men comfortably cleared Uruguay’s desperate throws.
Perhaps Chile risked pushing men forward, but with Tabarez’s men sitting so deep, and frankly unable to move forward as a unit, Mauricio Isla and Eugenio Mena were free to slalom into Uruguay’s third. Vidal and Sanchez’s’ ambitious shooting was wayward, but the fullbacks offered service from wide areas. Mena’s crossing was inconsistent throughout, but Isla’s clever combinations with the front three was promising.
“We [Chile] beat very good opponents and played well, despite failing to create a lot of chances in relation to the domination we enjoyed,” Sampaoli said.
“The game went as we expected. If we didn’t score early, it would be complicated.”
Oddly, Mena’s crosses were futile with no aerial options in the box, which could ultimately explain Sampaoli’s decision to introduce Mauricio Pinilla upfront for Vargas. Sampaoli’s substitution was justified shortly afterwards as the full-backs and Pinilla were involved in the buildup to the goal: the Chilean striker attacked Mena’s poor cross — an incident that wouldn’t occur with Vargas on the pitch — forcing Fernando Muslera to half-heartedly punch the ball towards the edge of the box, further leading to Isla’s winner.
Neither side offered new dimensions to their approach – Uruguay defended superbly prior to Cavani’s controversial dismissal, but was limited in transition, whereas Chile struggled when the opposition negated space behind the defence and between the lines. Nevertheless, Sampaoli deserves credit for turning to Pinilla upfront to capitalize upon Mena and Isla’s proactive play.
