Chile Eliminates Mexico From Copa America With Thunderous 7-0 Quarterfinal Victory

Chile came into this year’s Copa America Centenario feeling vastly overlooked.

Chile Eliminates Mexico From Copa America

Although it is the defending champion, it was not one of the four teams seeded into the tournament, and despite being ranked fifth in the world, all the attention seemed to be centered on Argentina, Mexico, Uruguay, and Brazil, as well as the United Sates, the host country.

And yet, Chile re-asserted itself by crushing Mexico 7-0 on Sunday night before a shocked, heavily pro-Mexico crowd of 70,547 at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara.

With the resounding victory, Chile now moves on to the Copa semifinals Wednesday in Chicago, where it will face Colombia, who defeated Peru in penalties at MetLife Stadium on Friday following a 0-0 draw.

Undefeated Argentina will play the U.S. in the other semifinal in Houston on Tuesday. Argentina defeated Venezuela 2-1 on Saturday.

Mexico, meanwhile, was humiliated in its elimination match after cruising to a national-record 22-game undefeated streak.

Eduardo Vargas, who topped last year’s tournament with four goals, earned four goals on Saturday alone this year, and now leads the Centenario with six. Chile also got two goals from Edson Puch, and one from Arsenal forward Alexis Sanchez. 

The massacre, the most one-sided loss in a competitive soccer match in Mexican history, was a surprise for ‘El Tri,’ which had not lost in 10 matches under new Colombian coach Juan Carlos Osorio, allowing just two goals since he took over.

Before the game even ended, the few Mexican fans who stayed until the end had directed the vulgar chant they generally use to insult opposing goalkeepers when they kick off towards their own goalie, Guillermo Ochoa. Ochoa, however, was not completely at fault, as the Mexican defense crumbled, losing two-on-ones on nearly every major attacking play made by the speedy, aggressive Chileans, who stunned Mexico with precise passes, well-executed crosses and perfectly-aimed shots on goal. The offense also struggled– often losing the ball before even nearing the goal and letting Chile run the length of the field — and managed only one shot on goal.

Orosio, who looked helpless on the sidelines– particularly in the five-goal second half–opened his post-game press conference by apologizing to the Mexican fans, calling the loss a ‘disgrace’ and an ’embarrassment.’

“Today was a disgrace, an accident of football,” he said in Spanish. “Obviously there have been bigger tragedies, but speaking athletically , today was a very poor presentation from us.

“I could not imagine that score, but it is my responsibility.”

The Mexican players also acknowledged their dreadful performance. Every player paused to speak with the media as they walked to the bus, and some even took to social media to apologize.

“I can only offer an apology,” defender Miguel Layun said.

Javier “Chicharito” Hernandez tweeted: “Apologies to all Mexicans. We failed them. We are very embarrassed, sad and hurting.”

Osorio also took the time to praise the opponent, saying:

“Chile is a very powerful, very good and with every chance of winning the tournament,” he said.

Chilean Coach Juan Antonio Pizzi agreed.

“This group of players is already writing Chilean football’s brightest page. Hopefully we can add more to the history,” Pizzi said. “It never entered my mind [there would be] a goal difference so great, because it is unusual, it is not logical.

Puch opened scoring in the 16th minute, collecting the rebound of Marcelo Diaz’s long-range shot and firing it past Ochoa to give Chile a 1-0 lead.

Vargas then doubled the lead a minute before the break. As with the first goal, the passing and ball-handling in the build-up was impressive. Sanchez slipped a pass toward the penalty spot for Vargas, who stepped away from three immobile Mexican defenders and drilled a left-footer just inside the far post to put Chile up 2-0 at halftime.

Chile, however, was simply getting warmed up. In the 49th minute, Bayern Munich midfielder Arturo Vidal stole the ball from Mexico’s Hector Herrera deep in the offensive end, drawing Ochoa off his line, then passed the ball to a wide-open Sanchez, who fired it in as the Mexican defenders still struggled to catch up with him.

Next came Vargas, who scored the following two goals in the 52nd and 58th. The 26-year-old TSG 1899 Hoffenheim striker took a thorough ball that eluded three defenders and raced deep into the penalty box before kicking the ball around Ochoa. He then earned his third goal six minutes later off a rebound to give Chile a 5-0 lead. 

Vargas scored his fourth and final goal of the game– his 31st international goal– in the 74th minute, by which time a large majority of the Mexican fans at Levi’s– many of whom had begun throwing popcorn and other things at Ochoa’s goal– had already left. After Puch scored his second goal in the 88th minute, Brazilian referee Heber Lopes waited for the last seconds to blow the final whistle, wisely waiving stoppage time given the thrashing.

SANTA CLARA, CA – JUNE 18: Jesus Duenas #20 of Mexico battles for control of the ball with Alexis Sanchez #7 of Chile during the 2016 Copa America Centenario Quarterfinals match play between Mexico and Chile at Levi’s Stadium on June 18, 2016 in Santa Clara, California. (Photo by Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images)

Article by Pablo Mena