Chile vs. Mexico Copa America 2015 Recap, Analysis: 3 Things We Learned From 3-3 Draw
Remember how Chile's 2-0 win over Ecuador in the opener proved to be the only unsurprising result of the opening round of games in Copa America? And how that win announced Chile as the likely favorite to lift the trophy?
Remember how Mexico was listless and toothless in a 0-0 draw with Bolivia? How suddenly Miguel Herrera's side looked like B-team?
Throw those scripts out the window. The two sides showed signs of brilliance in an entertaining 3-3 draw. Here is what we learned.
Chile's defense is a cause for concern
Chile boasts a quick and speedy team, but also a short one. In fact, Chile is one of the smallest sides in the world. As one might imagine, this can be problematic when trying to defend through the air. On this night, the problem became tantamount.
The opener was a display of shambolic ball-watching as Mexico got a cross from one side of the box to the other before some a few bounces eventually went Matias Vuoso for the finish. It was one of those examples of how dangerous having a short defense could be for Chile.
It was no surprise that the script was repeated on the second goal, this time a corner kick that was met well by Raul Jimenez in the air.
The third goal was also a display of Chile getting beaten by an aerial pass, except this time it was a long punt over the Chile line to an onside Vuoso for a fine finish.
Arturo Vidal is the tournament MVP thus far
Neymar withstanding, no player has been more valuable to his team thus far than the Juventus player.
Vidal has three goals on the tournament, including two in this big game. The first goal was scored the way Vidal usually puts them in -- from the penalty area.
The second one, however, showed the superstar at his aerial best, hitting in a corner to the far corner to give Chile a 3-2 lead.
He also showcased his creative brilliance with a wondrous cross that Eduardo Vargas headed home.
On the night, Vidal would have three key passes and won a game-high six aerial duels.
Mexico's resilience is worthy of praise
Miguel Herrera's men looked woeful against Bolivia, lacking any offensive tact or cohesion.
That was far from the case in the draw with a far superior Chile side. Mexico was outpossessed throughout the evening, but looked composed and had a solid strategy on the attack.
This is a Mexican side that is largely devoid of its major stars. However, the theme of this tournament is that teams with stars have largely struggled against teams lacking stars but filled with cohesion and unity. This Mexican side followed that narrative with a tremendous effort that while lacking in defense, was filled with intelligence on offense and a knack for exploiting Chile's greatest weakness.
Chile will now play Bolivia with both sides essentially needing a draw to move on to the next round. Mexico can finish with four points with a win over Ecuador and likely finish as one of the top third-place sides in the tournament.
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