Chile knocked out of Copa America after bizarrely going ‘goalless’ in group stage

Chile ended their Copa America group stage in the third position with just two points, one ahead of bottom-placed Peru.

Chile knocked out of Copa America after bizarrely going ‘goalless’ in group stage

Chile got knocked out of the 2024 Copa America after a goalless draw against Canada (via IMAGO)

The Chile national side was knocked out of the 2024 Copa America group stages, following a goalless draw to second-placed Canada, last night. Interestingly, the Chilean side failed to score a single goal throughout the entire tournament.

Canada booked a quarter-final berth at the expense of the two-time champions, who had a disastrous Copa America. The draw gave the Canadian team four points in Group A, five behind leaders Argentina, who had already qualified for the quarterfinals. Chile finished with just two points from three matches. Additionally, this is the first time since 1997 that the South American giants have failed to reach the knockout stages of the competition.

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The 2015 and 2016 champions, who have been inconsistent recently, required a win to advance past Canada into the knockout rounds. However, they were left with a mountain to climb early in the game when Gabriel Suazo received a second yellow card and was sent off after just 27 minutes. They failed to score a single goal throughout the group stage, while conceding one goal, underscoring their glaring offensive weaknesses.

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This defeat marks another significant setback for the Chilean national team, which also missed out on qualifying for the last two FIFA World Cups in 2018 and 2022. Furthermore, their performances in the Copa America over recent years have been consistently disappointing.

Chile veteran Alexis Sanchez dismisses retirement talks despite team’s poor Copa America display

The ex-Arsenal attacker Alexis Sanchez dismissed international retirement in the near future, planning to continue to serve Chile. The 35-year-old captained Chile to back-to-back Copa America wins in 2015 and 2016, winning the Golden Ball during their second win.

Alexis Sanchez Chile
Chile forward Alexis Sanchez will not retire from the national team (via IMAGO)

Popularly known in his home nation as ‘El Nino Maravilla’, he is both his country’s most capped player and all-time top goalscorer. In a recent interview, Sanchez downplayed the suggestion that his age might limit his contributions for the national team. He emphasized his good physical condition and desire to keep playing for both club and country.

I still haven't fully grasped what I accomplished for La Roja. I'm still a Chile player. I don't think about my past achievements. I'm still in good shape, I feel great.
Alexis Sanchez on retirement plans (via InterNews)

Despite enduring a difficult club career where he transitioned from being one of South America’s top talents to a second-choice forward, Sanchez has maintained consistent performances for his national team.

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