Chile wiped away the memories from their thrashing to Uruguay with a well-deserved victory over Paraguay in Santiago.
Chile returned to winning ways after beating Paraguay 2-0 in front of 45,000 fans at the Estadio Nacional of Santiago on Tuesday. The Chileans, who had been trounced 4-0 by Uruguay on Friday, put on a good display to end doubts over the capacity of Argentine coach Claudio Borghi.
It had been a very difficult week for Chile, not only because of their heavy defeat at the hands of Uruguay, but because Borghi had expelled five players from his squad due to acts of indiscipline. However, they didn't allow this to affect them against Paraguay.
Chile started strongly, and looked extremely dangerous each time Alexis Sanchez touched the ball. The Barcelona winger caused havoc for the Paraguayan defense with his pace and trickery on the ball.
In the 9th minute Chile's first goal-scoring opportunity arrived with Sanchez down the left flank. After dazzling the Paraguay defense he unleashed a powerful shot that was pushed out for a corner by goalkeeper Diego Barreto.
After an effort from Matias Fernandez came close, Pablo Contreras came much closer, putting Chile ahead in the 27th minute when he connected to a Fernandez corner-kick with an unstoppable header.
In the second period Paraguay, who edged Ecuador 2-1 in Asuncion on Friday, pushed forward in search of an equaliser, but although they looked dangerous when moving to the attack, they couldn't generate any clear goal-scoring opportunities.
Humberto Suazo tested Barreto with a crossed shot from outside of the area in the 52nd minute, but the goalkeeper pulled off a good save to keep his side in the game. Moments later Barreto kept out another effort, this time a dangerous free-kick from Fernandez.
It took 71 minutes until Paraguay created a scoring chance, when a header from Nelson Haedo Valdez was brilliantly saved by Claudio Bravo.
When it seemed that Paraguay were going to end the game in Chile's half, Matias Campos put the result beyond their reach, when in the 85th minute his drive from the edge of the area deflected off a Paraguay defender before looping over a stranded Barreto.
It had been a very difficult week for Chile, not only because of their heavy defeat at the hands of Uruguay, but because Borghi had expelled five players from his squad due to acts of indiscipline. However, they didn't allow this to affect them against Paraguay.
Chile started strongly, and looked extremely dangerous each time Alexis Sanchez touched the ball. The Barcelona winger caused havoc for the Paraguayan defense with his pace and trickery on the ball.
In the 9th minute Chile's first goal-scoring opportunity arrived with Sanchez down the left flank. After dazzling the Paraguay defense he unleashed a powerful shot that was pushed out for a corner by goalkeeper Diego Barreto.
After an effort from Matias Fernandez came close, Pablo Contreras came much closer, putting Chile ahead in the 27th minute when he connected to a Fernandez corner-kick with an unstoppable header.
In the second period Paraguay, who edged Ecuador 2-1 in Asuncion on Friday, pushed forward in search of an equaliser, but although they looked dangerous when moving to the attack, they couldn't generate any clear goal-scoring opportunities.
Humberto Suazo tested Barreto with a crossed shot from outside of the area in the 52nd minute, but the goalkeeper pulled off a good save to keep his side in the game. Moments later Barreto kept out another effort, this time a dangerous free-kick from Fernandez.
It took 71 minutes until Paraguay created a scoring chance, when a header from Nelson Haedo Valdez was brilliantly saved by Claudio Bravo.
When it seemed that Paraguay were going to end the game in Chile's half, Matias Campos put the result beyond their reach, when in the 85th minute his drive from the edge of the area deflected off a Paraguay defender before looping over a stranded Barreto.
