Claudio Bravo and Paolo Guerrero played key roles in their teams' respective performances as Peru and Chile played out a scoreless stalemate in their Copa America opener
The 2024 Copa America got underway on Tuesday with a goalless draw between Peru and Chile in Texas.
In front of a sell-out crowd at the Toyota Stadium in Frisco, the two South American powerhouses played out a cagey affair, with both sides showing plenty of attacking intent but failing to find the net.
Peru and Chile Play to a Goalless Draw in Copa America Opener
Peru came closest to breaking the deadlock in the first half when a shot from Andre Carrillo cannoned off the woodwork, while Chile had a great chance to take the lead in the second half when Alexis Sanchez was clean through on goal, but his shot was well saved by Pedro Gallese.
In the end, both teams had to settle for a point, which leaves them both with work to do in their remaining group games.
Peru will face Bolivia in their next match, while Chile will take on Paraguay.
The result was a fair one, with both teams showing why they are considered to be among the favorites for the tournament.
Peru coach Ricardo Gareca said that he was happy with his team's performance and that he felt they deserved to win.
"We created a lot of chances and we were the better team overall," Gareca said. "We just need to be more clinical in front of goal."
Chile coach Martin Lasarte also said that he was pleased with his team's performance, but admitted that they need to improve their attacking play.
"We had some good moments, but we need to be more creative in the final third," Lasarte said. "We have a lot of quality in this team, so I'm confident that we can improve."
* **Claudio Bravo (Chile):** The veteran goalkeeper made several key saves to keep Peru at bay, including a stunning stop from a free-kick by Christian Cueva.
* **Paolo Guerrero (Peru):** The striker was a constant threat to the Chile defense throughout the match, and he came close to scoring on several occasions.
* **Andre Carrillo (Peru):** The winger was Peru's most creative player on the night, and he caused the Chile defense problems with his pace and dribbling skills.
* **Alexis Sanchez (Chile):** The forward had Chile's best chance to score in the second half, but his shot was well saved by Pedro Gallese.
The goalless draw between Peru and Chile was a fair result, with both teams showing why they are considered to be among the favorites for the tournament. Peru will be disappointed not to have taken all three points, but they will be confident of doing so in their remaining group games. Chile, meanwhile, will need to improve their attacking play if they are to challenge for the title.
