Copa America 2024: ’Hurt’ Chile sets sight on World Cup qualification after meek exit

The draw meant Chile, which needed to win to stand a chance of progressing, finished third in Group A behind winners Argentina and Canada.

Players of Chile ahead of a CONMEBOL Copa America 2024 Group A match against Canada. | Photo Credit: Getty Images

Chile is devastated after being knocked out of the Copa America following a 0-0 draw with Canada, assistant coach Sergio Santin said, as he vowed the two-time champion would use the lessons in their bid to qualify for the 2026 World Cup.

The draw meant Chile, which needed to win to stand a chance of progressing, finished third in Group A behind winners Argentina and Canada.

Chile, winner of the title in 2015 and 2016, had not been eliminated earlier than the quarterfinals since 2004, but now become one of the first major nations to be going home early.

With an ageing squad still reliant on veterans like Claudio Bravo and Alexis Sanchez, Chile also looks likely to struggle to qualify for the 2026 World Cup.

It is eighth in the standings for the CONMEBOL qualifiers and has scored just three goals in six matches.

“We need to analyse these three matches and try to find solutions for these situations we faced,” Santin, filling in for suspended head coach Ricardo Gareca, told reporters.

“There are things that the team showed today that are essential for the future of this national team. We are after the results. We don’t only take away the positives, we are assessing the situation. And as from the onset, we mentioned that our main goal are the World Cup qualifiers.

“We all wanted to perform well here and we wanted to get to the final. And of course at this moment we are sad, we are hurt by the situation. But we are well aware that based on the positives we saw today, we can construct future results.”

In Saturday’s draw, Chile went down to 10 men after Gabriel Suazo was shown a second yellow card in the 27th minute for bringing down Richie Laryea, with players criticising the refereeing after the match.

Santin opted against hitting out at the officials in the post-match press conference, saying, “The team kept trying, went for the win. We needed to win. And the squad tried that.

“And all the way until the last minute, Canada were defensive. They were facing, of course, a result that was beneficial for them, and they defended that result.

“We were one man down, which meant that we had one man less for the attack. Regarding the officiating, we won’t criticise what happened.”