Copa América - Venezuela into semis after beating Chile

[ChangoLoa]

Left-back Gabriel Cichero scored their winning goal nine minutes from time, stabbing the ball home from close range after Chile goalkeeper Claudio Bravo had parried a free kick.

Centre-back Oswaldo Vizcarrondo had given the Venezuelans the lead with a header from a set piece in the 35th minute before Humberto Suazo equalised for Chile in the 70th minute.

on edit:
http://uk.eurosport.yahoo.com/18072011/58/copa-rica-venezuela-semis-beating-chile.html
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Sorry for la Roja, Rabs. We sure were lucky.

[rabs]

1. Amazing how Ven. football has improved

Ven. is the Cinderella of the Copa.

Ven. had two free-kick goal opportunities the entire game and capitalized on both. Doesn't get better than that.

And yes, La Roja was unlucky with the ball hitting the crossbar, the posts etc. :cry:

But hats off to the Ven. arquero, he stopped four/five point-blank shots.

Yep, there is gloom tonight. Ms. rabs es chilena. Two daughters, one in Santiago and one in Puerto Montt. Ms. rabs has a brother in Sao Paulo who is in mourning too with Brazil's collapse earlier today. (How can a team miss FOUR penalty kicks???)

Yep, my chilenitos will be drinking el VINOTINTO de la amargura tonight :-)

Venezuela must be celebrating.

Saw where Hugo tweeted: Gloria al Bravo Pueblo!!! Rindamos tributo supremo a nuestros muchachos de la Gloriosa Vinotinto!! Viva Venezuela!! Viviremos y Venceremos!!"

He said he watched the match with Fidel.

Congrats to all Vens. and the Vinotinto, we will be cheering for it.

:toast:

[ChangoLoa]

2. Un-be-lie-va-ble they're in the semis!!!

As you say, their realism in this game shows they've acquired lots of maturity. They dominated the 1st half and then were surfing on the breaking point during most of the 2nd. The posts saved us.
Chile has impressive physical and technical young players which tells me 2014 will be a special year for them. Unfortunately, Argentina and Brazil (4 penalty kicks, never seen that, what a debacle!) being out, they blew out their biggest chance of getting the Copa for the first time.

Actually, did you understand what happened before the Chilean goal with the referee? He gave saque lateral to Venezuela, but Chile played it. Venezuelan players stopped, but the referee didn't say anything! People were totally shocked around here!

Let's see what happens with Paraguay..
If this thing keeps going the way it's been going, we could have the absurd, unbelievable finale: Peru-Venezuela :crazy:

:toast:

[rabs]

4. Univision guys did not explain what happened

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Actually, did you understand what happened before the Chilean goal with the referee? He gave saque lateral to Venezuela, but Chile played it. Venezuelan players stopped, but the referee didn't say anything! People were totally shocked around here!

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Watched that episode, ball was first given to the Vinotinto, then it was taken from the player's hands and given to a chileno. Univision left up in the air an explanation, or if they did, I did not catch it.

Think Ven. has a good chance to get past Paraguay if the team continues to play like it has to now. Saw where the match will be in Mendoza, at the "Estadio Malvinas Argentinas."

Also think Uruguay will top Peru, seeing as how Uruguay has Forlan, Suarez and company who led to the charruas to fourth place in the Copa Mundial last year. But Peru is no patsy so far.

Uruguay-Venezuela? Tough for the Vinotinto, but the way this Copa has turned out, nothing is impossible.

Did you see on Saturday on Univision where Hugo Sanchez was all over himself denying that he had insulted the Vinotinto? In an earlier game, he said the colors of the jerseys were red because defeats of Venezuela in earlier Copas had left the shirts bloodied. He lied when he denied he had said that, I heard him say it. Mentiroso.

Buena suerte al Vinotinto el miercoles !!

[spanza]

3. Yuhuuuuuuuuu !!!

Que loco el partido:)

[rabs]

5. Futbol, it can lift you, or crush you

It was not fair. Que pena. Silver lining --- Vinotinto will be a force to contend with in the World Cup qualifying.

[Bacchus39]

6. or it can put you to sleep

boring match. although Ven had several chances.

[ChangoLoa]

8. The 2nd half was unwatchable. But the drama was intense in the extra times

There was a huge brawl at the end of the game. A paraguayo went to shout "pa la casita" to Venezuela's bench. Punches and kicks followed. Sadly comic.

[ChangoLoa]

7. The worst possible way of loosing a game

They should play extra time indefinitely. Always hated penalties. They stink even when you win. The posts took their revenge.

Eager to see the 2014 WCQ. Chilenos will be looking to nail the vinotinto's flesh on the pitch of Santiago's sinister "Julio Martínez Prádanos".