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In a clash that might set the tone for the rest of the tournament, highly-fancied Chile take on Australia at the Arena Pantanal in Cuiaba. Tipped as one of the dark horses of the tournament, Chile will be looking to get off to a winning start over the group’s whipping boys Australia, of whom not much is expected by anyone. Although the fitness of the influential Arturo Vidal is a concern, Jorge Sampaoli’s hard-working, attacking side look to have too much for the Socceroos.
Venue
Chile’s first game will be held at one of the smallest stadiums, purpose-built for the World Cup with a capacity of just over 40,000. Situated in the western part of Brazil and known as the “southern gate to the Amazon”, the region experiences some extreme heat in the winter, where the temperatures can soar up to 37C. The sweltering heat might make for a lot less technical game, something that might just suit the more physical Aussie outfit.
Kickoff Time
June 14 – 03.30 am – Indian Standard Time (IST)
June 13 – 7.00 pm - Local Time
Possible Starting Line ups
The only major concern for coach Jorge Sampaoli would be the fitness of the midfielder Arturo Vidal. Should the Juventus midfielder be ruled out through injury, Chile will have a tough time replacing his ability both on and off the ball. Aside from him, the rest of the side picks itself as Chile continue to employ a largely unused 3-4-3 formation.
Chile (3-4-3): Bravo; Jara, Medel, Mena; Isla, Vidal, Diaz, Beausejour; Sanchez, Vargas, Valdivia.
14 of the 23 players in Ange Postecoglu’s squad are less than 25 years old. Given the youthful nature of the squad, not much is expected of them in Brazil. Veteran midfielder Tim Cahill will be key to their chances of scoring a goal in what could be their best opportunity at getting a point in the group stage.
Australia (4-3-3): Ryan; Franjic, Spiranovic, Wilkinson, Davidson; Milligan, Jedinak, Vidosic; Leckie, Cahill, Oar.
*if Vidal is ruled out through injury, Charles Aranguiz will take his place in central midfield
Key Facts and Stats
- Australia's first ever point in a World Cup group came courtesy of a 0-0 draw against Chile in June 1974; it remains their only clean sheet in 10 World Cup Finals matches.
- Since their third place finish in 1962, Chile have only won two of their 17 World Cup games (D6 L9).
- The Socceroos have only won two of their 10 games at the World Cup (D3 L5) – these coming against Japan in 2006 (3-1) and Serbia in 2010 (2-1).
- Australia's last eight World Cup games have produced seven red cards (four for the Socceroos, three for their opponents).
- Arturo Vidal was the top scoring midfielder in South American qualifying, with five goals.
- Chile are unbeaten in their four clashes against Australia, drawing one and winning the other three.
- Chile conceded 1.56 goals per game in the qualifiers, more than any other of the 32 participants in the 2014 edition.
Key Battles
Alexis Sanchez v Ivan Franji?
Alexis Sanchez is undoubtedly one of the stars of this Chile outfit, who are expected to surprise a few in Brazil. Blessed with pace, acceleration and an ability to both score and create at will, Sanchez will be Chile’s main playmaker in Brazil. The man expected to be mark him will be Socceroos right back Ivan Franji?, who is coming off the back of an A-League Championship with Brisbane Roar. One of the more accomplished defenders in the side, his duel with Sanchez will go a long way in deciding who wins the game.
Tim Cahill v Gary Medel
While Mile Jedinak is the undoubted leader of the pack, the unsung hero in Crystal Palace’s season isn’t his side’s biggest attacking threat. That honour goes to the national side’s all-time leading goal scorer Tim Cahill. Playing in his third World Cup, the side’s attacking hopes rest on Cahill’s broad shoulders as the Socceroos look to emerge out of Brazil unscathed. The physically robust Cahill will be a difficult man to mark and the man likely to be given that job is Gary Medel. The tough tackling Medel will have his work cut out for him, while trying to mark Cahill. Should he effectively neutralise Cahill’s aerial threat, that will go a long way towards helping his side claim victory in their opening encounter.
Prediction
Chile are undoubtedly the favourites for this match. Given their experience and their high-tempo, attacking play, this should be a walk in the park. But, given the conditions in Cuiaba, a rout is highly unlikely. The Socceroos have nothing and are likely to go at Chile in the hope of nicking a goal. Although they are likely to do that, that is unlikely to be enough to secure them a point.
Predicted Scoreline: Chile 2 – 1 Australia
Referee: Noumandiez Doue (Ivory Coast)
