Bolivia came into their game against Chile knowing that it would be a tough task at hand because: 1) Chile is higher ranked in the FIFA standings than they are (Chile is 19th, Bolivia is 89th) and 2) they are playing in Chile’s Estadio Nacional where close to 49,000 screaming Chileans would be in full force cheering on their team to a victory.
The game proved to be too much for poor Bolivia, who was decimated by the Chileans by a score of 5-0. The smackdown got off to a quick start as Charles Aránguiz scored Chile’s first goal and was soon followed by Arsenal’s leading goalscorer Alexis Sánchez to give Chile the 2-0 lead at the half.
The second half did not turn out in Bolivia’s favor either as Chile scored two more goals in the latter period as Aránguiz scored his second and even defender Gary Medel managed to score one for the Chileans.
However, the last goal was a spectacular one, one that would be worthy of a highlight and a blooper reel. Bolivia’s Ronald Raldes as he managed to get a toe on a ball from a low cross and chipped it over the goalkeeper, who could only watch helplessly as the ball went over his head and bounced off the far post and went in. The only problem for Raldes was that his happened on his side of the field and he scored an own goal for Chile’s fifth tally of the game. Watch this magnificent yet awful goal for Chile/Bolivia.
An amazing goal, yet so unfortunate for the Bolivian captain to have scored that one on his own net. Embarrassing moment aside, Bolivia managed to advance to the knockout stages of the Copa América as runner-up of the group and Chile finished as the winner.
In the other game of Group A, Mexico lost to Ecuador 2-1 and see themselves out of the tournament, failing to advance to the knockout stages of the Copa América for the second consecutive tournament. Ecuador still has a chance at advancing, but must await the results of the two remaining group’s games to determine if they will extend their stay in Chile or if they will fly back home to Ecuador.
