After the news of Arturo Vidal’s drink-driving incident, many people claimed Chile were in crisis, this game suggested otherwise.
Chile and Bolivia were tied in first and second on four points each. After Ecuador’s victory over Mexico, both sides were confirmed as qualified, it was just a matter of deciding who finished where in the top two.
Chile started just as Jorge Sampaoli would have wanted. A long ball over the top was taken down by Eduardo Vargas, before an onrushing Charles Aránguiz slammed it into the back of the net.
As you would expect, Chile continued to dominate the opening stages in front of their home fans.
Arsenal’s Alexis Sánchez struck a free kick 25 yards out, curling it onto the outside of the post with Romel Quiñónez scrambling to keep it out. Within 10 minutes of that, Sánchez had another free kick and again he hit the woodwork.
Sánchez ended his streak of going close by doubling Chile’s lead. Sánchez himself played the ball out to Jorge Valdivia before having the ball clipped back to him and finding the corner of the net with a wonderful diving header.
Former QPR teammates Mauricio Isla and Eduardo Vargas linked up soon after, but the latter shot wide.
The half ended with Chile totally dominant, having played excellent football throughout the opening 45 minutes.
The second half was largely uneventful until the 66th minute. Substitutes Matías Fernández and Ángelo Henríquez linked up before the Manchester United forward played the ball across the face of goal to Aránguiz, who turned the defender inside out before tapping into the net for his second goal of the game.
With 10 minutes left on the clock Chile scored a fourth. Gary Medel, formerly of Cardiff City, was found by a glorious Valdivia pass, before he lifted the ball over the goalkeeper to make it 4-0 to Chile.
Unfortunately for Bolivia, Chile weren’t done yet. Henríquez’s cross was a poor one, but Ronald Raldes was subject to a wicked deflection, sending the ball curling to the back post and in.
The referee ended Bolivia’s misery at 5-0. Chile top the group, with Bolivia in second, while Ecuador sit third with a small chance of qualification and Mexico are eliminated.
Chile: Bravo, Isla, Jara (Pizarro 70), Medel, Beausejour, Marcelo Díaz, Vidal (Fernández 46), Aránguiz, Valdivia, Alexis Sánchez (Henríquez 46), Vargas
Bolivia: Quiñónez, Rodríguez (Bejarano 46), Raldes, Coimbra, Morales, Chumacero, Veizaga (Miranda 46), Pedriel, Escobar (Lizio 61), Smedberg, M. Martins
Booked: Morales, Coimbra, Chumacero
Goalscorers: Aránguiz x2, Sánchez, Medel, Raldes (OG)
Man of the Match: Jorge Valdivia. Aránguiz may be the obvious choice having picked up two goals and Alexis Sánchez would’ve been a certainty had he not been subbed at half-time, but Jorge Valdivia was superb for Chile tonight. With everything going through him, the Palmeiras midfielder picked up two assists and our Man of the Match award.