The Chile squad will take on Bolivia on Friday. Photo/Eduardo Vargas
Both Chile and Bolivia are seeking their first victory in Group D play in the Copa American Centenario ahead of their clash with one another on Friday night at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough.
The Bolivians entered the group, which also includes Argentina and Panama, has underdogs, which seemed to be confirmed in their opening loss to the Panamanians.
Chile, who are the defending Copa America champions, began the tournament with high expectations. However, few imagined them beating Argentina in the first match (which they lost against a Lionel Messi-less side earlier this week).
With Group D still relatively wide open, here are three things to look forward to for tonight’s game at Gillette Stadium:
Arturo Vidal in Chile’s midfield
Despite his prowess and stardom for the fact that he plays his club football with Bayern Munich, Vidal has been one of the least-talked about midfielders for the simple fact that he’s in a tournament that also boasts a number of other top players in the center of the pitch. However, he’s been the one pulling strings in the middle for both his club and his country. Last season, the 29-year-old had 13 goals and 10 assists in all competitions for Bayern.
Can Bolivia maximize Juan Carlos Arce?
Panama out-gunned the Bolivians in their first match, but La Verde managed to show some offensive mettle of their own through veteran striker Juan Carlos Arce. The 31-year-old came into the tournament with more international appearances for his country than any other player on his side, which means he’s slated to take on a leadership role almost naturally. Beyond that, he is a Copa America veteran, having played in his first Copa at age 18 in 2004, plus in the 2011 edition of the tournament. Going for veteran savvy might be the Bolivians’ best option in the attack if they hope to stifle their South American rivals.
Realistic expectations
Chile seems to have more quality than Bolivia, for the simple fact that their players are scattered across some of the top leagues in the world like the Bundesliga, La Liga, and Serie A. Meanwhile, Bolivia boast a more modest roster composed of players from their national league (and even a New York Cosmos member). It’s not accident that the Verde are currently second to last in FIFA World Cup qualifying while Chile are just three points behind first place; clearly there’s a gap in technical skill, which should be on full display on Friday night at Gillette Stadium.
If you want to reach Julian email him at julianccardillo@gmail.com and follow him on Twitter @juliancardillo
