Two former champions registered their first victory in the 47th edition of Copa America. Both Chile and Argentina grabbed a hard-fought win against Bolivia and Uruguay, respectively. A tenth-minute goal from Ben Brereton, making his first start, helped Chile grab maximum points in an exciting clash at Arena Pantanal stadium. Meanwhile, Argentina picked up their first three points courtesy of Guido Rodriguez’s first-half strike.
Here’s a recap of both the matches from the fourth matchday of Copa America 2021.
CHI vs BOL
The Chile-Bolivia match saw 14 shots on target as it was a busy outing for both goalkeepers – Claudio Bravo and Carlos Lampe. The Bolivian goalkeeper made outstanding saves in the first half. Jean Meneses forced a save from Lampe as early as in the fourth minute. The Chilean’s excellent effort from the edge of the box was tucked away to safety by the 34-year-old. But, five minutes later, he was unable to deny Brereton from scoring his maiden international goal.
Chile, a goal up, threatened to double the advantage and Erick Pulgar and Menses had their efforts thwarted brilliantly by Lampes. At the other end, left-back Roberto Fernandez missed a clear chance to level the scores.
The second half was a different story as Bolivia had plenty of possession and half-chances. However, Bravo was rock solid and protected his team’s narrow lead. Bolivia had their best opportunity in the added time. A fantastic pass from near the centre-circle took substitute Enrique Flores through on goal, but a heavy first touch resulted in the ball rolling into Bravo’s hands.
Goalscorers: B Brereton
Assists: E Vargas
Top Five Fantasy Points scorers: B Brereton (11.5 pts), G Medel (11 pts), M Isla (11 pts), C Bravo M (10.5 pts), E Mena (9.5 pts)
ARG vs URU
After scoring in the tournament opener, Lionel Messi turned provider for the only goal against Uruguay. In the 13th minute, Messi sent an enticing pass into the box, and Guido Rodriguez outjumped his marker and headed it home. Uruguay goalkeeper Fernando Muslera had denied the FC Barcelona legend with a fine save a few minutes before the goal. He was called into action yet again as he pushed away right-back Nahuel Molina’s powerful strike.
Despite having plenty of possession in the second half, Uruguay lacked the cutting edge in the final third. Argentina struggled to create many chances in the second half, but their backline ensured Luis Suarez and Edinson Cavani had a quiet game. Both forwards failed to register a single shot on target.
Goalscorers: G Rodriguez
Assists: L Messi
Top Five Fantasy Points scorers: G Rodriguez (16 pts), M Acuna (9.5 pts), L Messi (9 pts), N Otamendi (9 pts), C Gabriel R (8.5 pts)
Parameswaran Sankaranarayanan
Parameswaran Sankaranarayan is a sports enthusiast who has worked in print, website, and other digital platforms. He was part of the editorial team of first-ever Indian football-based website - IndianFootball.com (now defunct) - and passionately follows the latest happenings in world football. During his time as a journalist, he had the opportunity to interact with some of the iconic personalities in Indian sports and witness some memorable moments in Indian football.
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