Chiliin the debut of Ricardo Gareca as coach, he beat 3-0 Albania in a peaceful friendly match played this Friday in Italy.
The ‘Roja’ triumphed in Parma thanks to the goals of forward Eduardo Vargas in the 19th minute, Marcos Bolados in the 83rd and Víctor Dávila in the 90+2.
The ‘Tigre’ began its cycle in Chile by lining up three old glories that had been absent in the last calls, and who were part of the so-called “Golden Generation” that gave Chile its only two titles, the 2015 Copa América and 2016.
Defender Mauricio Isla and forward Eduardo Vargas returned after two years, while the legendary goalkeeper Claudio Bravo, 40, returned after a year of absence.
The gamble of the former Vélez coach was rewarded in the 19th minute, when Vargas caught a clearance and whipped a shot from the edge of the area to beat goalkeeper Thomas Strakosha.
Albania, which had not lost in eight games, advanced its lines and tried to take the initiative, but was not able to take a single shot on goal in the 90 minutes.
Neither the Chilean Alexis Sánchez nor the Albanian Kristjan Asllani, both teammates at Inter Milan, were able to shine for their respective teams.
Chile increased the advantage thanks to a move by the bank. Alexis Sánchez left his position to winger Marcos Bolados in the 83rd minute and on the first ball he touched, after a great team play, he scored the second goal for the ‘Roja’.
Víctor Dávila sealed the match in the extra time, after a pass from the Chilean-British Ben Brereton, which the CSKA Moskú forward finished off from outside the area to score his first goal with the national team.
Chile will face France at the Vélodrome Marseille stadium next Tuesday, on its way to the Copa América in the United States that begins in June, where it shares group A with the current champion Argentina, Peru and a member of Concacaf to be defined.
Meanwhile, Albania will have one more test against Sweden in its preparation for the Euro Cup in Germany, where it is part of the group of death along with Italy, Spain and Croatia.
Source: Ambito
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