USA vs. Chile
(International Friendly) Feb. 21 (3:30 pm ET) at Lockhart Stadium in Fort Lauderdale, Fla. (Television: ESPN live)
HISTORY Chile’s best World Cup performance came as host in 1962, when it finished third. The nadir came in 1989, when goalkeeper Roberto Rojas faked getting hit by a flare in the Maracana Stadium, in hopes that Chile would win a forfeit over Brazil and entrance to Italy ’90. Instead, FIFA banned Rojas for life and Chile through the 1994 World Cup. On their return, Chileans closely followed qualification for France ’98, hoping that success could erase the embarrassment of the Rojas incident. The timing was right. The squad included a duo that may represent Chile’s best ever — Marcelo Salas and Ivan Zamorano, who scored 23 of their team’s 32 goals during qualifying. They brought Chile to their seventh World Cup and first since 1982. Salas, transferred from River Plate to Lazio for $18 million, scored twice in an opening 2-2 tie with Italy, and finished the tournament with four goals. His last goal came in a 4-1 loss to Brazil in the round of 16.
LAST 10 INTERNATIONALS | April 22, 1998 — 2-2 Colombia (friendly) |
| April 29, 1998 — 1-0 Lithuania (friendly) |
| May 19, 1998 — 0-1 at Argentina (friendly) |
| May 24, 1998 — 2-2 Uruguay (friendly) |
| May 31, 1998 — 3-2 Tunisia (friendly) |
| June 4, 1998 — 1-1 Morocco (friendly) |
| June 11, 1998 — 2-2 Italy (France ’98) |
| June 17, 1998 — 1-1 Austria (France ’98) |
| June 23, 1998 — 1-1 Cameroon (France ’98) |
| June 27, 1998 — 1-4 Brazil (France ’98) |
U.S. SERIES The United States’ only win over Chile was a whopper — 2-1 in its 1995 Copa America opener. Eric Wynalda scored both goals — outshining a young Salas, who was subbed at the half — in what was Coach Steve Sampson’s first test in an official competition.
| July 2, 1950 — Chile 5-2 (World Cup) in Recife, Brazil. |
| April 20, 1963 — Chile 10-2 (Pan-American Games) in Sao Paulo, Brazil. |
| June 1, 1988 — 1-1 tie (friendly) in Stockton, Calif. |
| June 3, 1988 — Chile 3-1 (friendly) in San Diego, Calif. |
| June 5, 1988 — Chile 3-0 (friendly) in Fresno, Calif. |
| April 30, 1994 — Chile 2-0 (friendly) in Albuquerque, NM. |
| July 8, 1995 — USA 2-1 (Copa America) in Paysandu, Uruguay. |
ò Chile leads series 5-1-1.
ROSTER As usual, the bulk of the national team comes from Colo Colo, Universidad Catolica and Universidad de Chile, which generally dominate the Chilean league. Salas and Zamorano remain with their Italian clubs. After playing Guatemala and the United States on the road, Chile hosts Costa Rica and Bolivia in friendlies. It faces Brazil, Mexico and Venezuela at this summer’s Copa America. Here is the Chilean roster:
Goalkeepers — Marcelo Ramirez (Colo Colo), Nelson Tapia (Universidad Catolica).
Defenders — Mauricio Aros (Universidad de Chile), Pablo Contreras (Colo Colo), Luis Fuentes (Cobreloa), Luis Mena (Colo Colo), Miguel Ramirez (Universidad Catolica), Francisco Rojas (Colo Colo), Moises Villarroel (Santiago Wanderers).
Midfielders — Clarence Acuna (Universidad de Chile), Roberto Cartes (Argentinos Juniors, Argentina), Nelson Parraguez (Universidad Catolica), David Pizarro (Santiago Wanderers), Cristian Uribe (Colo Colo).
Strikers — Pedro Gonzalez (Universidad de Chile), Rodolfo Moya (Universidad Catolica), Reinaldo Navia (Santiago Wanderers), Manuel Neira (Colo Colo), Patricio Neira (Palestino).
