Cameroon fall to Chile Mexico match Portugal power
ARTURO Vidal’s late header helped Chile to a 2-0 win over Cameroon in their Confederations Cup Group B opener in Moscow on Sunday, as the video assistant referee played a prominent role.
Chile dominated an entertaining, but goalless, first half as Eduardo Vargas saw his strike ruled out by the video assistant.
The Copa America champions had to wait until the 81st minute though to find a breakthrough, which was provided by a flying header from Bayern Munich midfielder Vidal.
Vargas, who missed a host of earlier chances, added a second in added time after another video review.
The victory gave Chile a perfect start to their maiden Confederations Cup campaign, after they qualified by successfully defending their Copa America title last year.
“It was very important to start in the right way with our goal to become champions,” said Vidal, who also dedicated the triumph to the victims of a fierce storm in Chile that has claimed several lives.
“We were superior to Cameroon, pressed harder and looked to score more... Even though it was hard to play the first Confederations Cup match in our history.”
Reigning World Cup-winners Germany and Australia make up Group B, and they go head-to-head on Monday.
The South Americans made a blistering start and almost took the lead inside the first minute, but striker Vargas’ shot crashed back off the post, before Jose Fuenzalida saw his low effort well saved by Cameroon keeper Fabrice Ondoa just seconds later.
The Africa Cup of Nations holders did look a threat on the counter-attack and Vincent Aboubakar was denied by the legs of Johnny Herrera, who was in the Chile goal ahead of usual captain Claudio Bravo.
Ondoa was the busier of the two keepers in the first half though and he had to be alert to keep out Edson Puch’s long-range strike.
The best chance of the opening 45 minutes fell to Vargas after he was played through by Vidal’s pass, but he blazed over.
Controversy reigned on the stroke of halftime at the Otkrytiye Arena as Vargas saw his stoppage-time goal ruled out.
The 27-year-old clipped the ball home, but over a minute after the ball had hit the net, the video assistant adjudged the Tigres forward to have been marginally offside.
Alexis Sanchez, who had been struggling with an ankle injury before the game, was introduced by coach Juan Antonio Pizzi 12 minutes after the interval as he looked for the 38th international goal that would make him Chile’s outright MEXICO netted an injury time equaliser to deny Portugal victory in a Confederations Cup Group A game that ended 2-2 at the Kazan Arena on Sunday.
Ricardo Quaresma saw his opener cancelled out by Javier Hernandez before the half-time interval before Cedric scored late into proceedings only for Mexico to equalise again through Hector Moreno.
Portugal believed they had grabbed the lead in the 20th minute through Pepe only for the Video Assistant Referee to deem it to have been offside after a brief consultation with the man in the middle.
The European champions did open the scoring in the 34th minute as Ronaldo was given the freedom to run in behind the defence before sneaking a pass through to record scorer.
Came roon were muchimproved in the second half as they gained a measure of control, but Benjamin Moukandjo could only curl a freekick wide.
Vargas continued to see chances come and go, with his latest effort being deflected behind for a corner.
That set-piece almost saw the deadlock broken, but Mauricio Isla flicked a header past the far post with the goal gaping.
Sanchez made a difference as Chile finally Quaresma to finish neatly. The same two players combined not long afterwards as Ronaldo played a delightful backheel to his teammate but the Besiktas attacker shot wide. Having threatened with a header earlier, Hernandez stole in to head home an equaliser three minutes from the interval. Ten minutes from time Portugal saw Quaresma’s shot saved whilst at the other end Giovanni dos Santos failed to hit the target. With the game looking like it may end deadlocked at 1-1 defender Cedric popped up in the box to fire home his first international goal via a deflection. Portugal may have thought they were starting their maiden Confederations Cup with a win but Moreno scored from a corner to deny them late on. — Kick-Off. forged ahead with nine minutes to play. The Arsenal f o rwa r d’s dinked cross was met by Vidal, whose powerful header gave him a 23rd goal for his country. Sanchez should have broken the record, but saw his shot blocked after rounding Ondoa, only for Vargas to poke in the rebound. After the game'’s second review, the goal and three points for Chile were confirmed. — AFP.