Chile handed Mexico its worst loss ever in an official match when it crushed El Tri, 7-0, in the quarterfinals of the Copa America Centenario before a stunned crowd of 70,547 at Levi’s Stadium.
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The stage then belonged to Vargas, who scored a further three goals in a 22 minute spell, before Puch rounded off proceedings with his second in the 87th minute.
Tournament organizers will be sad to see Mexico go. “I repeat my apologies to all the people and fans”.
Eduardo Vargas, once of Queens Park Rangers, scored four as La Roja secured a thumping 7-0 victory to leave Mexico boss Juan Carlos Orsorio apologising for the embarrassement. The side seemed to give up in second half, conceding three goals in the space of eight minutes after Vargas and Edson Puch put the Chileans in control at the interval.
“We had a frightful match”.
The first one was scored by Edson Puch off of a deflection.
Vargas extended Chile’s advantage in the 52nd minute, as Sanchez got to the byline, before picking out the Hoffenheim forward, who fired a composed finish past Ochoa.
El Tri had a 22-game unbeaten streak and worldwide attention since last losing June 19, 2015, to Ecuador 2-1 in the Copa America.
But after Puch scored his second goal for a 7-0 deficit it appeared El Tri had taken a couple steps back on the worldwide soccer ladder.
El Tri dropped to 3-3-1 against Chile in the tournament and had beaten Chile 1-0 in an exhibition matchup June 1 in San Diego, getting a goal in the 86th minute from Javier “Chicharito” Hernandez but not playing its top soccer.
Vargas was at it again approaching the hour-mark and he then fired the ball into the roof of the net from an acute angle with 16 minutes remaining as Mexico were put well and truly to the sword, with the Hoffenheim man taking his global tally to 31 goals, fourth all-time for Chile.
“I’m happy for what it means and it’s nice to be next to “Batigol” (Batistuta), but for me tonight the most important thing is the result”, Messi said.
In the end, it is the United States as the only team outside of South America who reached the semifinals of this tournament.
After Vargas found the net for the final time on this extraordinary display of shot-making, the star forward was swarmed yet again by a Chile team that left no question it has plans to follow up the country’s first Copa win a year ago with another special run. “But I think we are better than them”.
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Chile will now meet Colombia in the second semi-final.
