Canada vs Chile Preview
The Inter & Co Stadium plays host to a crunch Copa America Group A fixture on June 29 at 8:00 pm between Canada and Chile where qualification is on the line for both sides. Canada claimed a historic victory over Peru on Tuesday and is hopeful of back-to-back victories.
Chile have not found their footing in the competition yet, following a loss and a goalless draw on their record. A win here could send them to the quarterfinals, but can they find their groove when the going gets tough?
Canada vs Chile Head-To-Head and Key Stats
Canada had a tough group for their first-ever appearance in Copa America. Les Rouges went into the tournament knowing they would have to play three teams ranked above them in the FIFA World Rankings to get through to the knockout stages. Among them were trophy favourites and current World Cup champions Argentina, who they faced in the tournament opener.
Jesse Marsch’s side fell to a 2-0 defeat but fought valiantly, not making things easy for La Albiceleste and keeping things largely competitive. The first half ended goalless with Les Rouges imposing their size advantage over Lionel Scaloni’s team. However, Julian Alvarez struck early in the second half to take the lead. Canada continued to fight but couldn’t find an opening and Lautaro Martinez put the game to bed in the 88th minute.
Lionel Messi heaped praise on Canada at full-time, saying, “We knew what they were capable of. Canada performed as I expected: very hard, very physical. In the first half, there was little space for me. It was intense. Luckily, we found something quickly in the second half.”
Despite the loss, there were some good takeaways from the performance and there was an air of confidence surrounding them entering their second game against Peru. That was on show when they claimed a 1-0 victory. This meant that they had not only beaten La Bicolor for the first time in 25, years but also claimed their first-ever win in Copa America.
Jonathan David’s strike in the 74th minute was enough to put away 10-man Peru following Miguel Araujo’s sending off after an hour. That victory puts them in second place and means that a draw could be enough to send them through to the knockout rounds. Peru needs a result against group-toppers and Copa America betting favourites Argentina, meaning confidence in Les Rouges’ camp is high.
Elsewhere in Group A, Chile has been plagued by a lack of attacking guile in their opening two fixtures. They started their campaign against Peru. Despite dominating the ball, finishing with 65% possession and nearly doubling their opponent’s passes, they could not find the net. They took 11 shots and found the target just once, taking just a point in a goalless draw.
They followed up with a tough game against Argentina. Ricardo Gareca’s team had their work cut out for them, having beaten the World Cup champions just three times in 50 years. Chile was strong at the back despite being under a lot of pressure, though they could not find an attacking edge. They had just three shots in the game to Argentina’s 22. They held on for much of the game but faced heartbreak when Lautaro Martinez struck late in the game. His 88th-minute goal was enough to earn his side the win, qualification for the knockout rounds, and likely a final place at the top of the group.
These sides have only met four times in their history, with Chile winning twice, Canada winning once, and one draw. Their clash at Copa America 2024 will be the first time this fixture has taken place in nearly 30 years. It will be the first-ever competitive meeting between both sides, having only met in international friendlies and competitions unrecognized by their governing bodies.
Canada vs Chile Prediction
Correct score prediction: Canada 0-1 Chile
This is a tough game to predict. On paper, Chile should win this and that is reflected in the Copa America betting. However, they have been poor in their opening two games while Canada has looked strong defensively even in defeat. Canada enters this game knowing a draw would be enough for qualification should Peru fail to beat Argentina. While it is far from guaranteed, it would be a tall task for Peru to defeat a team they have beaten once in 27 years.
Chile, on the other hand, must win this game to qualify for the knockout rounds. They will probably throw men forward to overcome their poor attacking record having not scored a goal in the competition. The biggest thing that separates them from Canada is their experience. They are much savvier in situations like these, having played in them before. Canada has never played in the tournament before this year, and this will be foreign territory to them. That experience will be enough to get Chile over the line and our Copa America prediction is a Chile win.
Canada has proven they can defend strongly in their previous two games, however. They also can go on fast breaks with the pace of Alphonso Davies, Jonathan David and Liam Millar. This leaves Chile susceptible to conceding and they must make sure they balance their defensive duties with their need to attack.
There could also be some question marks surrounding the fitness levels of Chile’s squad. The starting 11 against Argentina had an average age of 30.5, with four players aged 34 and over. In comparison, Canada was 25.7 in their victory over Peru. The energy levels could be a huge decider in how this game plays out late on, especially with Chile having to find a way through to get the win and balance their defensive duties.
Les Rouges cannot afford to rest on their laurels, however. In theory, a draw should be enough, but this is tournament soccer. We can often see upsets in Copa America and Argentina may rest top players against Peru having already qualified. This opens the door for Peru to snatch a win. Canada must make sure they shut out the noise and play their natural game. Having not been in this position before, it could be asking too much of Jesse Marsch’s team.
Canada vs Chile Betting Tips
This is a tough game to call, and both sides are plus money bets for a victory. We like a bet on Chile at +115. They are the more experienced team and know they have to win this game. They have the tactical nous to get through this game and the plus-money odds make the wager even more attractive.
With this being such a tight game, you could try to cover yourself. Luckily, our online sportsbook is great for doing just that. A wager on a Tie No Bet on Canada is worth +155. This means that if wagered $20 and Canada won, you would win $31 and if the game ended in a tie, you would receive your money back. By backing this along with a Chile win with the same wager, you are at worst guaranteed half of your money back.
Neither side has been a prolific scorer in Copa America 2024. Canada has scored once, and Chile is yet to find the net. This game is likely to be nervy and while Chile will commit men forward, Canada will put bodies behind the ball. Chile held strong for 88 minutes against Argentina and kept a clean sheet against Peru. The over/under is set at 2.5 and we are backing the under, worth -164 with online betting markets.
With a lot at stake for both teams, you may want to wait until the game has kicked off before you wager. By watching from kick-off and assessing the game yourself, you can use live betting to wager in-play. This can be particularly useful for player markets. Chile has racked up five yellow cards in two games and we expect them to receive over 2.5 in this match, priced at +100. You can use the live betting markets to bet on specific players to go in the referee’s book.
Canada Team News
Jesse Marsch found a winning formula in Canada’s game against Peru and we don’t expect any changes for their final group fixture. Alphonso Davies has performed well in his new role on the wing and Jonathan David found the next in his number 10 role on Tuesday. A strong defensive showing against Argentina and a clean sheet to follow it up means the defence will likely stay the same for Les Rouges.
- Predicted Lineup: Crepeau, Johnston, Bombito, Cornelius, Laryea, Kone, Eustaquio, Millar, David, Davies, Larin.
Chile Team News
Coach Ricardo Gareca could make minute changes for his side in this crunch-time fixture but will probably stick with experience. Diego Valdes will miss the game after taking a knock in training. The most likely scenario, if there were to be a change, would be a tweak in the frontline. Chile is yet to score, and Ben Brereton-Diaz will be hoping to enter the starting XI up front in favour of Eduardo Vargas. However, this game calls for calm heads and we expect Gareca to stick with the Chilean icon.
- Predicted Lineup: Bravo, Suazo, Diaz, Lichnovsky, Isla, Pulgar, Echeverria, Osorio, Sanchez, Davila, Vargas.
