By Lazaro Garcia |
Santiago de Chile (EFE) multiplies with experience, and others who will never be what they were no matter how much they want, diminished after losing their main virtue, the physical.
The former, like Sánchez who has reached his maturity in France, are called upon to lead successful transitions, the latter, read Arturo Vidal and in particular Gary Medel, would improve their career if they understood that their value is to make way for those who come behind, with hunger and conditions to recover the victory path of his country.
Again the experienced
The Bologna defender and the Flamengo midfielder, who are stretching their careers, were a “golden ballast” for La Roja, particularly in the first half, in which they were widely outplayed by a Paraguay whose order was enough to get ahead .
Vidal hit more misses than hits, he was almost always late for the match, he did not win the duels he launched, he lost all the ones that challenged him, and he could not take refuge in the physical exuberance that previously allowed him to cover up his shortcomings and be key in attack and defending.
Medel was a ghost that Eduardo Berizzo, for some unknown reason, kept as the anchor of the center during the 98 minutes that the clash lasted, despite the fact that his contribution in both areas was nil.
So much so that until Sánchez entered the second half, his teammates on the line, Marcelino Núñez and Felipe Méndez, were just as inconsequential in the creation line.
And that continues to be the Achilles heel of Chile since the withdrawal of the ‘wizard Valdivia’: the lack of a 10 that introduces the difference, the small, different, imaginative man who is cultivated so little in the tough Chilean football, but who is fundamental in contemporary football, even for teams that opt for the most direct football.
The good news
That 10 was yesterday Alexis Sánchez, who entered the second half and revolutionized the match in a few minutes. Chile’s game did not improve substantially, but it did have more verticality.
The versatility of the ‘Niño Maravilla’ activated the full-backs: the rookie Guillermo Soto on the right and Gabriel Suazo (Toulouse). Deeper, the first was able to score a great personal move and the second left a quality filtered pass for Alexis who finished off Antony Silva’s post.
And to Alexander Aravena, the bet of Universidad Católica, who together with Soto was the best news for La Roja at the Monumental.
The 20-year-old forward found himself with an opportunity due to Ben Brereton’s injury early in the second half, and he didn’t miss it.
Berizzo had warned before the game that there would not be minutes for everyone and in fact he only made four changes in the entire game, one of them in the 97th minute, despite the fact that it was a preparation game.
But the Argentine coach also knew that the continuity of his project also depended on the result after seven games without claiming victory, and he wanted to tie up with the still active remains of “the golden generation”.
Aravena brought freshness, which together with Sánchez’s experience, emerged as the formula for a team that calls for renewal.
Face and seal with Alexis Sánchez
The Chilean press praised the match of the Olympique de Marseille striker, but regretted the decision of the Chilean federation to arrange only one friendly on this FIFA date.
A second would have allowed us to see a starting lineup with Aravena and Alexis, and even give entry to values that on Monday saw the entire clash from the bench, such as the Palestinian midfielder Bruno Barticciotto, another with magic in his boots.
And check if, as it seems now, there is “Alexis-dependencia” and Chile is alone to dispute the last qualifying spot, still far from the great teams of the continent such as Argentina, Brazil and Uruguay, but also from the emerging ones such as Ecuador, Peru and Columbia.
The former Inter and Barcelona player also left the most important reflection and with it he gave a lead to the still contested Berizzo: “You have to keep the golden generation in the trunk. This is a new period. I even changed my number ”, he affirmed, stressing that it must be the state of form that prevails.