Barcelona winger Alexis Sanchez scored as Chile started their World Cup with a 3-1 win over Australia in the second Group B game of the day.
Alexis netted after good work by Charles Aranguiz while Jorge Valdivia’s goal came as a result of some questionable defensive positioning and fine teamwork from the South Americans. Jean Beausejour wrapped up the win with a long-range strike in injury time.
Tim Cahill netted 10 minutes before half-time, rolling back the years with a trademark back-post header, but despite a much better second-half showing from Australia, it was Chile who took the points.
Chile will feel they’re in a strong position to qualify after Spain’s hammering at the hands of the Netherlands earlier on Friday.
Jorge Sampaoli named a side strong in La Liga representation, with Real Sociedad goalkeeper Claudio Bravo wearing the captain’s armband and Alexis Sanchez and Eduardo Vargas – of Barcelona and Valencia respectively – in attack. Arturo Vidal, a reported target for Barca and Real Madrid, played an hour.
Ange Postecoglou named a side with nine World Cup debutants but old stagers Mark Bresciano and Tim Cahill in attack and Mile Jedinak, a revelation in last year’s Premier League, captaining the side.
Alexis put Chile in front, Aranguiz breaking behind the Australia defence and pulling the ball back across goal for the Barca winger to fire home. Minutes later Valdivia swept in a second after Eduardo Vargas’ run flummoxed the entire Aussie defence.
The one time Chile stood off their opposition they were punished, a deep cross from the right finding Cahill, whose powerful header beat Bravo and put Australia back in the game at the interval.
Cahill had a goal disallowed early in the second-half, flagged offside, before Bravo maintained Chile’s lead with a fine stop low down from a thumping Bresciano strike after Cahill’s aerial ability again caused problems. The former Everton man later sent another header narrowly over the crossbar.
Vargas nearly made it 3-1 after he was played in by Alexis, only for Alex Wilkinson to scramble the ball off the line.
It was Australia who looked most like scoring as Chile’s tempo dropped and mistakes crept in. The Socceroos were dangerous on the break and always posed a threat through Cahill.
But Australia couldn’t recover from their poor start and Chile joined the Netherlands in a promising position after the first round of Group B fixtures, Beausejour’s well-struck effort confirming the points.
Chile 3-1 Australia
Alexis 12, Valdivia 14, Beausejour 90+2 (CHI), Cahill 35 (AUS)
Chile: Bravo (c); Isla, Medel, Jara, Mena; Aranguiz, Diaz, Vidal (Gutierrez 60); Alexis, Valdivia (Beausejour 68), Vargas (Pinilla 87)
Australia: Ryan; Franjic (McGown 50), Wilkinson, Spiranovic, Davidson; Jedinak (c), Milligan; Leckie, Bresciano (Troisi 78), Oar (Halloran 68); Cahill
