Peru and Chile will face off in their Copa America 2024 opener at the AT&T Stadium.
Arlington, Texas will be the battleground on the second day of the 2024 Copa America as Peru prepare to clash with Chile at the AT&T Stadium in both sides’ Group A opener. With world champions Argentina and a dark horse in Canada the other teams in the group, both Peru and Chile will be keen to strengthen their chances of qualification with all three points in the bag.
Peru enter the tournament in strong form, boasting an unbeaten record in 2024, including a 1-0 victory over El Salvador in their final warm-up match. Under the guidance of Jorge Fossati, who took the reins at the end of 2023, Peru have seen a remarkable turnaround.
Before Fossati’s arrival, Peru were in a slump, enduring a seven-match winless streak with six losses to boot. This poor form had left them languishing at the bottom of the CONMEBOL World Cup qualifying table with a meagre two points from six matches.
Since Fossati’s appointment, however, Peru have won three of four matches, conceding only once in a 4-1 victory over the Dominican Republic. This rejuvenated squad will be looking to replicate their 2016 Copa America performance in the United States, where they won their group ahead of Brazil. While they were eventually eliminated in the last eight by Colombia, the 2016 campaign remains a memorable one for the nation.
Meanwhile, Chile, led by Ricardo Gareca, also arrive with momentum in their favour. Gareca, who previously guided Peru to their first World Cup appearance since 1982 in 2018, took over La Roja in January. He has since led Chile to two wins in three matches, with their only defeat being a narrow 3-2 loss to World Cup runners-up France. Under Gareca, Chile have scored eight goals in three matches, matching their tally from the previous eight encounters combined.
Chile’s strong start under Gareca is notable, as they have lost only once since 2020 when scoring the opening goal, that lone defeat coming against France. Although Chile have not qualified for a World Cup since 2014, they have fond memories of the last Copa America held in the US, where they won the trophy for the second consecutive time.
The last encounter between these two teams saw Chile emerge victorious with a 2-0 win in October. However, Peru can draw confidence from their 3-0 triumph over Chile in the semi-finals of the 2019 Copa America, which dashed Chile’s hopes of a third consecutive title. The Hard Tackle delves into the potential elevens and tactics for this clash.
Team News & Tactics
Peru
Jorge Fossati has chosen a seasoned squad for the 2024 Copa America, with reserve goalkeeper Diego Romero being the only player without a senior cap for Peru. Among the veterans, Andre Carrillo is poised to make his 100th international appearance in this match, while Christian Cueva is just two appearances away.
Edison Flores, who scored the decisive goal in their latest match, is now tied with Christian Cueva and Franco Navarro for 10th place on Peru’s all-time goalscoring list, though all remain far behind record-holder Paolo Guerrero, who has netted 39 goals. Gianluca Lapadula, Peru’s top scorer in the last Copa America with three goals, will be a crucial player in their attack.
This mix of seasoned veterans and key performers positions Peru well for a strong showing in the tournament. They are expected to line up in a 3-5-2 formation, with Pedro Gallese in goal. He should be protected by the back three of Alexander Callens, Carlos Zambrano, and Luis Abram.
Luis Advincula and Marcos Lopez should act as the full-backs, with the trio of Sergio Pena, Wilder Cartagena, and Andre Carrillo forming the haymaker in the middle of the pitch. Peru can be expected to drop to a 5-3-2 while defending. Gianluca Lapadula and Paolo Guerrero should lead the line upfront.
Probable Lineup (3-5-2): Gallese; Callens, Zambrano, Abram; Advincula, Pena, Cartagena, Carrillo, Lopez; Lapadula, Guerrero
Chile
Veteran goalkeeper Claudio Bravo is on the verge of a significant milestone, needing just two more appearances to reach 150 caps for Chile. That would place him third on Chile’s all-time list. Eduardo Vargas is also close to a landmark as a single appearance will push him past Jean Beausejour into seventh place with 110 caps.
In their recent victory over Paraguay, Victor Davila scored twice, bringing his tally for the national team to three goals. Eduardo Vargas also found the net, marking his 42nd goal for Chile, which places him second only to Alexis Sanchez, who holds the record with 51 goals.
Previous champions Chile are not the force they once were. However, they still can pack a punch on their day and arguably go into the clash as favourites. A 4-2-3-1 formation appears to be the way forward, with Claudio Bravo in goal. He should be protected by the back four of Mauricio Isla, Guillermo Maripan, Paulo Diaz, and Gabriel Suazo.
Marcelino Nunez and Erick Pulgar should form the double pivot, with Víctor Davila, Alexis Sanchez and Diego Valdes Contreras providing the attacking thrust. Eduardo Vargas is expected to lead the line upfront.
Probable Lineup (4-2-3-1): Bravo; Isla, Maripan, Diaz, Suazo; Nunez, Pulgar; Davila, Sanchez, Valdes; Vargas
Key Stats
- Both teams have faced off 85 times across all competitions, with Chile coming out on top 47 times. Peru have won 24 games, with the remaining 14 ending in a draw.
- Peru have won three of the last five games across all competitions against Chile.
- Both teams have failed to score in the same game in their last five matchups.
- A win on the night will see Peru win consecutive games against Chile in the Copa America for the first time ever.
Player to Watch
Alexis Sanchez
The veteran attacker is 35 years old and will hope to earn another feather in his cap in what has been a sensational career for his country. While Sanchez has seen his ability peter off, he remains a key cog in Chile’s aspirations and should don the role of the primary playmaker for the tournament.
It is fair to say that he will dictate La Roja’s pace and will have a key role to play in any of Chile’s attacking plays. Having him fit and firing will go a long way in ensuring Chile go as far as they can in the tournament.
Prediction
Peru 1-2 Chile
While Peru can upset their opponents on their day, Chile are a team of experienced players who know what it takes to go all the way in the competition. This coupled with the strength in depth they possess, The Hard Tackle predicts a close game with Chile coming out 2-1 winners.
