Argentina, Chile seek advantage
that little is being taken for granted ahead of today’s game at the Estadio Monumental in Buenos Aires.
An uninspiring 0-0 draw with Uruguay in Montevideo on Thursday left Argentina level on 23 points with fourth-placed Chile, who lead on goal difference.
Argentina were frustrated by a Uruguayan side which defended in depth and packed the midfield. With Venezuela likely to use similar tactics, Sampaoli has urged his team to be more aggressive.
“We have to be more aggressive in the last third and get more people in the area,” he said following the Uruguay stalemate.
“We have to ensure that the team wins. We have to win so that Argentina can be at the World Cup in Russia.”
Despite the nervyness of Argentina’s campaign, their fans can console themselves by the thought that Chile have hardly been any more convincing.
The South American champions owe their fourth place in the table to a Fifa sanction which converted a 0-0 home draw with Bolivia into a 3-0 win after the Bolivians fielded an ineligible player.
The Chileans face Bolivia again in La Paz, an awkward tie at altitude even if their opponents, who are already eliminated, have little to play for.
Chile’s faltering qualification campaign suffered a fresh jolt last week with an abject 3-0 home defeat to Paraguay in Santiago.
The Chileans, who clinched back-to-back Copa America titles in 2015 and 2016, have been beset by turmoil, with Arsenal’s Alexis Sanchez struggling to find his best form and captain Arturo Vidal raging at his media critics.
Vidal, who scored a spectacular headed own goal in the loss to Paraguay, took to Twitter to vent his frustration after the loss, even hinting that he may quit the national team.
“I’m sure all the critics are happy now,” Vidal wrote. “But don’t worry, each time I’m closer to leaving.”
It was left to Chile coach Juan Antonio Pizzi to strike a defiant note as his team head to La Paz, insisting that his squad would rediscover the attacking vigour that won them their Copa America crowns. AFP