Troublesome Copa America Champs Chile May Be Hard for Pizzi to Inspire Again

By
at Internationaled.org

Published: May 25, 2016

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"Chi-Chi-Chi! Le-Le-Le! Viva Chile, Chile!" was the catchy refrain that rang out across stadiums and streets last summer—although it was winter there—up and down the long, thin South American country.

A place that starts with hot desert and ends with snow-capped mountains, a country of contrasts but united in backing their team to triumph in the Copa America.

Everybody was convinced, from the fans that wielded a gigantic Chile flag at every game—which took several people to carry it into the stadium—to the taxi drivers who spoke about “when” La Roja would lift the trophy, not if.

Even the smog that sat over Santiago and grew thicker and heavier the further south you went wasn’t enough to upset people. The capital was on “environmental alert” on various occasions during the tournament, with cars without specific catalytic converters banned from entering certain zones, but the football carried on, and so did Chile.



They sailed through the group, overcoming Uruguay and Peru in the knockout rounds and then beating Argentina on penalties in the final. “After 99 years, it came down to 12 yards,” wrote Jonathan Wilson in The Blizzard magazine, referring to Chile’s first tournament win since the competition’s inception.

It felt natural, like the end of a cycle, and it proved to be. The next day rain fell in Santiago for the first time in several months, helping to clear the smog. It was meant to be. Of course, everything had been in their favour from the start.

Argentina and Brazil—not that the Selecao were much good—were in the other half of the draw, it was on home soil, there was some dubious refereeing and several red card decisions went their way, none of the Copa’s other traditional powers were at their strongest.

That said, though, they were also the best team and deserved to e...
Article Source: Bleacher Report - International Football

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