Brazil Routs Chile in FIFA Match Day

World Football Pentachampions Win by 4-0

There was a gloomy atmosphere among Chilean football fans on March 24, after the disappointing performance by the Chilean national team during a match played in Gothenburg, Sweden against Brazil. However, the Chilean fans won outside the pitch since a majority of the 30,000 fans at the Ullevi Stadium were from the large expatriate community in that country. Also the Chilean team offered good prospects since at present many of its players are part of European clubs, such as Luis Gimenez (Lazio, Italy), Mark Gonzalez (Liverpool, England) and Matias Fernandez (Villarreal, Spain). Also two players that are in Brazilian first division teams (Claudio Maldonado, Santos) and Jorge Valdivia, Palmeiras) were supposed to have added a plus to the squad since they have good knowledge of the opponents style. It seems that coach Nelson Acosta just cannot draw up an effective strategy against Brazil since in the past the Chilean coach has suffered several humiliating defeats. In the 1998 World Cup in France, Chile lost 4-1 against Brazil, and in the qualifiers for Germany 2006, Chile lost 5-0.
Even so the historical statistics favor Brazil enormously since before this match the Chilean team had only been able to win 7 times out of 60, with 12 draws.
The match could not have begun in a worse way for Chile, since in the 15 minutes , a defender caused a childish foul on Gilberto Silva in the area, and Ronaldinho scored the penalty with a precise low shot past Claudio Bravo, the goalkeeper. Brazil from then on became the absolute controller of the match, with a string of precise passes and also skilful runs by Robinho, that could not be controlled by the Chilean defenders.
In the 30th minute Daniel Alves broke away alone in the right wing and near the goal line sent a pass to Kaka that placed a first time shot into the Chilean net. At the end of the first half the TV broadcast showed that ball possession had favored Brazil by 58% to Chile´s 42%.
At the start of the second half, Robinho tried a cheeky over head kick that would have been a goal had Bravo not touched it to the corner.
In the 49th minute, Robinho caused a free kick outside the Chilean area that was masterly place into the net by Ronaldinho. Chile could only answer back with some harsh fouls on the Brazilian players and the decisive 4-0 came in the 60th minute as Ronaldinho gave a back heel pass to defender Juan that only had to touch the ball into the net past Bravo.

Chile´s first goalscoring chance came in the 62nd minute as Claudio Maldonado struck a long range shot against the crossbar, but to no avail, the team was without any luck or any ideas. Now the team must improve tremendously, since its next most important international match must be in the Copa America to begin this June in Venezuela, and one of its opponents will be......Brazil.
Starting Lineups :

Brazil (4): Julio Cesar (Inter,Italy) Juan (B.Leverkusen, Germany), Fred, Elano, Lucio(B.Munich,Germany), Kaka (A.C Milan, Italy), Gilberto Silva(Arsenal, England), Robinho (Real Madrid, Spain), Ronaldinho(Barcelona,Spain), Daniel Alves (Sevilla,Sapin) Mineiro.
Coach : Dunga.

Chile (0) : Claudio Bravo (Real Sociedad, Spain), Ismael Fuentes, Alex Von Schwedtler (Maritimo,Portugal), Claudio Maldonado (Santos), Figueroa, Arturo Sanhueza (Colo Colo, Chile), Humberto Suazo (Colo Colo, Chile) Matias Fernandez (Villarreal, Spain), Luis Gimenez, Mark Gonzalez.