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Canada Marches On: A Stalemate with 10-Man Chile Sees Them Through to Copa America Quarter-Finals.

Canada and Chile played out a tense and tightly contested goalless draw in the Copa America on Saturday. With Chile reduced to 10 men, Canada seized the opportunity to dominate possession and secure second place in Group A, ensuring their progression to the quarter-finals. It was a resilient performance by the Canadians, who kept their cool against a resilient Chilean side, who, despite their numerical disadvantage, held on to finish third in the group. This result marked a significant milestone for Canada, advancing further in the tournament than they have in recent memory. For Chile, it was a disappointing exit, as they found themselves eliminated in the group stage for the first time in nearly two decades.

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5 July, 2024

The Copa America draw saw Canada, making their debut in the tournament, climb to four points in Group A, just five points behind leaders Argentina, who had already secured their spot in the quarter-finals.

Canada’s captain, Bayern Munich fullback Alphonso Davies, shared his thoughts with OneSoccer after the match, stating, “We knew coming into these games that it wasn’t going to be easy. We had to fight, battle, and do whatever it takes to survive. There were times when we suffered, but we suffered together and got through it as a team.”

In other Group A action, two-time champions Chile concluded their campaign with two points, while Peru ended up in last place with just one point following a 2-0 defeat to Argentina in their final match.

June 29, 2024: A Canada fan shows their support during the match against Chile at Inter&Co Stadium in Orlando, FL. Photo: Reuters

Chile’s tournament ended on a sour note, as they failed to find the back of the net, extending their scoring drought. This drought includes only three goals in their opening six qualifiers for the 2026 World Cup.

Chile’s already challenging task of needing a win and favorable results from other matches became even more difficult when Gabriel Suazo received his second yellow card in the 27th minute for a foul on Richie Laryea. The red card was met with anger and protests from Chile’s players, who felt the decision was unjust.

Chile forward Alexis Sanchez voiced his frustration, criticizing the refereeing standards and comparing them to those in Europe. “A red card like that ruins the whole game,” he said. Despite the elimination, Sanchez remained determined, apologizing to the fans and assuring them of their commitment to qualifying for the World Cup.

June 29, 2024: Chile’s Alexis Sanchez takes on Canada’s Jacob Shaffelburg during the second half at Inter&Co Stadium in Orlando, FL. Photo: Reuters

June 29, 2024: Canada’s Maxime Creapeau in action during the second half against Chile at Inter&Co Stadium in Orlando, FL. Photo: Reuters

Adding to Chile’s frustration, an incident involving Canada defender Moise Bombito, who appeared to elbow Rodrigo Echeverria in the fifth minute, went unreviewed by VAR. Captain Claudio Bravo, sidelined due to injury, shared a video of the incident on social media, expressing his disbelief at the lack of technological intervention.

In the first half, Chile held the upper hand in terms of scoring chances, with Victor Davila coming closest to breaking the deadlock. However, the tide turned in Canada’s favor following Suazo’s dismissal.

Canada appealed for a penalty in the 38th minute when Jonathan David collided with Chilean goalkeeper Gabriel Arias, but their pleas fell on deaf ears. Arias was again called into action just before halftime, denying Stephen Eustaquio’s effort from the edge of the area.

Despite Chile’s efforts after the break, they couldn’t truly test Canadian goalkeeper Maxime Crepeau, and their performance began to wane as the tropical conditions took their toll.

Canada thought they had snatched a late winner in stoppage time through substitute Tani Oluwaseyi, but the goal was ruled out for offside, ensuring the match ended in a draw.