| < Prev | Next > |
|---|
La Roja are competing in just their 8th World Cup Finals, and will consider themselves hot favourites to qualify from Group H alongside pre-tournament favourites Spain. Chile, who have made 5 first round exits in their 7 trips to the Finals also have a commendable 3rd place finish to their credit at home in 1962. They have failed to qualify from a tough South American group for each of the last two editions, last competing in France 1998 where they lost in the Round of 16.
Ranked a very commendable 15th in the FIFA Rankings, Marcelo Bielsa's side will look around in their group and believe they should be able to triumph against Honduras and Switzerland to make another trip to the second Round.
Chile were fantastic in their World Cup Qualifying campaign finishing second behind Brazil in South America, with an enviable 10 wins in 18 games. The team banged in 32 goals in the competition, just one less than Brazil, and in the end finished just a point off the top of the table.Sporting Lisbon's Matias Fernandez pulls the strings in the middle of the park, with wingers Mark "Speedy" Gonzalez and Alexis Sanchez key to providing good crosses for 29-year old Real Zaragoza striker Humberto Suazo (on loan from Monterrey). El Chupete was the top scorer in qualifying with 10 strikes.
Chile don't play Spain till their final match of the Group stages, and will be keen to have wrapped up qualification for Round 2 before what promises to be one of the marque encounters of the opening round. They open their campaign on the 16th of June against the Honduras.
Key Players:
Humberto Suazo: The heavy set striker had a decent season with Real Zaragoza, but was one of the most consistent goal scorers in South America prior to his January loan move. His goals will be extremely crucial if Chile are to make any progress in the finals.
Mark Gonzalez: The former Liverpool winger has played at the highest level in Europe. He is currently plying his trade in Russia where he has started off at a positive note. Gonzalez has a good left foot, he is quick and can cross fairly well. Chile will be hoping he comes good in South Africa.
Pablo Contreras: the 31-year old has had an illustrious career in Spain and Portugal and is currently plying his trade in Greece. He has 49 caps for his country and is quite an experienced campaigner in the international arena. He was part of the Chilean team that won bronze in the 2000 Summer Olympics and he was also part of their Copa America campaign of 1999 where they lost in the semi-finals in a penalty shootout.
Team:
Goalkeepers: Claudio Bravo (Real Sociedad), Luis Marin (Union Espanola), Miguel Pinto (Univ. de Chile)
Defenders: Mauricio Isla (Udinese), Waldo Ponce (Velez Sarsfield), Gonzalo Jara (West Bromwich Albion), Ismael Fuentes (Atlas), Arturo Vidal (Bayer Leverkusen), Gary Medel (Boca Juniors), Pablo Contreras (PAOK),
Midfielders: Rodrigo Tello (Besiktas), Carlos Carmona (Reggina), Matias Fernandez (Sporting, Portugal), Jorge Valdivia (Al Ain, UAE), Mark Gonzalez (CSKA Moscow), Marco Estrada, Gonzalo Fierro, Rodrigo Millar
Forwards: Alexis Sanchez (Udinese), Fabian Orellana (Xerez), Humberto Suazo (Real Zaragoza), Jean Beausejour (America, Mexico), Esteban Paredes (Colo Colo).
Top Goal Scorers: Humberto Suazo (17), Alexis Sánchez (8)
Most Capped Players: Pablo Contreras(49), Humberto Suazo (41)
Head Coach: Marcelo Bielsa
Form Guide: (WWWLW)
May 06, Chile 2-0 Trinidad & Tobago
May 16, Mexico 1-0 Chile
May 27, Chile 3-0 Zambia
May 30, Chile 1-0 Northern Ireland
May 30, Chile 3-0 Israel
Fixtures:
16-Jun: Honduras vs. Chile 12:30pm (GMT) - Match Report
21-Jun: Chile vs. Switzerland 03:00pm (GMT) - Match Report
25-Jun: Chile vs. Spain 7:30pm (GMT)
Team Trivia
Chile was disallowed to participate in the 1994 qualifying campaign due to Chilean goalkeeper Roberto Rojas faking an injury against Brazil in a World Cup qualifier on 3rd September 1989. Brazil was leading 1-0 with 23 minutes remaining when Rojas claimed to be gravely injured by firecrackers thrown from the Brazilian crowd. The entire Chilean team walked off in protest, and the match was forfeited. Through TV replays, FIFA were able to spot the hoax and Brazil were awarded a 2-0 victory, with Rojas being banned for life and Chile earning disqualification for the next qualifying campaign.
Also Read:
Group Competitior Previews: Spain, Honduras, Switzerland
Photograph Copyright: Ryu Voelkel
This article is the exclusive copyright of TheSportsCampus.com and permission to reproduce the same has not been granted.
