Eduardo Berizzo, the coach of the Chilean team, said after the game that he was “a hopeless optimist.” And he analyzed the duel as such. He stressed that the point win on the neglected field of the Monumental Stadium contributed to the goals of securing one of the six and a half places reserved for the continent for the next World Cup.
The beginning of his trial is similar to that of Reinaldo Rueda in the previous one. Only one point from the first six disputed, but the image that will remain after the draw against the coffee team is that of Arturo Vidal, sobbing on the stretcher at the edge of the pitch, unable to take another step , to the point where he dies He was referred to a medical center to undergo tests to determine the extent of your knee problem.
Berizzo pushed the experienced players of the golden generation to their limits. Alexis Sánchez, who traveled to Chile with anemia diagnosed by his club Inter Milan and recommended not to play due to a lack of games and training over the past two months, played the ninety minutes and ended up turning in a pale and lackluster performance , where he scored a safe goal against Camilo Vargas’ unprotected goal. For many, Chile played with nine players.
To complete the picture, one of the debutants, Talleres full-back Matías Catalán, had to leave for almost fifteen minutes after repeated substitution requests, despite his age of 30. His mission – fully accomplished – was to eliminate Colombian superstar Luis Díaz, the Liverpool striker who was not allowing any shots on goal.
The question behind the lawsuit was just one; Was it worth bleeding experienced players like that to get a result, knowing Colombia would grow due to their physical differences? Well, the Córdoba coach’s answer is too clear, as he prefers the old guard, with its obvious physical and football inferiority, to the new generation, which still does not show sufficient signs of maturity and competitiveness.
Colombia were happy with the point, with an unbeaten record now stretching to thirteen games and a petty calculation according to the opportunities the game presented. He made all his changes the moment Chile physically collapsed, but he didn’t know how to take advantage of that advantage.
Almost like a metaphor, there was no juice if you squeezed every drop and even risked the physiques of your older stars. Gary Medel and Charles Aránguiz, La Roja’s other two illustrious figures, provide skill and location, but are far from the dynamism that the game requires on the way to the World Cup.
Therefore, in the cherished place, it remains to be seen how the banners that Toto Berizzo protects so much and that continue to raise the flag of optimism have been damaged.