3️⃣ things we learned as Peru and Chile fail to impress | OneFootball

Peru and Chile played out the first goalless draw of Copa América this summer, leaving their fates to be determined on matchdays two and three.

Here is what we made of the events in Texas.

Lacking where it matters

Without the star-studded attacking talent on display on night one of Copa América, we were treated to a different style of game on night two.

Chile and Peru put together some quality moves respectively, but the final ball or finish seemed to always be lacking.

This was epitomized in the opening 20 minutes when Alexis Sánchez and Edison Flores missed clear-cut chances at either end to open the scoring.

But luckily for both sides, with Canada losing on to Argentina on opening night, second place remains well and truly up for grabs.

No shenanigans allowed

It has not gone under the radar just how strict the referee has been calling the first two games of Copa América 2024.

As Peru and Chile looked to find their feet in front tens of thousands of fans in Arlington Friday evening, the man in the middle was quick to blow for any small infraction he noticed.

The resulting stop-start nature did not sit well with fans of both sides, as whistles rained down from the terraces to show their disappointment.

Simply for entertainment purposes, we’ll hope the whistles are needed less and less in the remaining games of the tournament, a tournament known for its blood and thunder.

Pitches are a problem

It has become clear from the very start that the state of the grass is going to be an issue in Copa América this summer. In Atlanta on Thursday night and again in Arlington Friday night, a slow, poorly laid pitch slowed the pace of the game down.

“It is not good for the show,” Argentina keeper Emi Martínez said after the tournament opener. “It is not an excuse, the stadium is beautiful and with synthetic turf it must be spectacular, but with today’s turf it is not suitable for this kind of players.”

In an affair lacking quality attacking moves in Texas on Friday, you can’t help but look towards the pitch when looking for answers as to why that may be.