LONDON – The raw edge that makes South American soccer a little bit less predictable than its European counterpart was once more in evidence in the latest round of matches building up to the Copa America semifinals, the first of which is played tonight when Uruguay faces Chile.
Brazil dispatched its old foe Argentina to reach the Final Four, though not in its traditional swaggering style. For one thing, Brazil was faced withthe unfamiliar strategy of having to recover from being a goal down. That situation developed with the game barely10 minutes old, when Juan Pablo Sorin launched a hit-and-hope that found its way into the net off the knee of Brazil defender Joao Carlos, leaving goalie Dida leaning the wrong way.
Ronaldo, it’s safe to say, has looked like his old self during this tournament, and just past the half-hour he earned a decisive free kick that gave his strike partner Rivaldo the routine task of bending and swerving his kick over the defensive wall. It’s the kind of thing Rivaldo can do in his sleep.
That man Ronaldo was a key figure once again as Brazil took the lead just a few minutes into the second half. Emerson started the move by sprinting through the middle of the field to supply Ze Roberto with a precision pass. With his back to goal, Ze Roberto held up the ball for the arriving Ronaldo, who then blasted a low left-footed precision shot just inside the post for his fourth goal of the tournament.
Chile’s victory started on a high note for Colombia. Just seven minutes had elapsed when Jorge Bolano left his marker in the dust to score with a radar-assisted blast. But a well-rehearsed move in which Jose Luis Sierra flicked on from a corner kick allowed Pedro Reyes to tie it up with a header.
Colombia stormed back to take the lead again through Victor Bonilla, but the defense hadn’t learned its lesson. Four minutes into the second half the old Sierra-Reyes combo paid off again and Chile had it tied at 2-2. Sensing doubt within the Colombian ranks, red-hot Chile killed off the game with a cavalier solo finish from Ivan Zamorano, who had promised to deliver after an anonymous first round – and did just that.
Mexico, Brazil’s opponent in the second semifinal tomorrow, looked down and out inside the first 15 minutes against underdog Peru. First, Roberto Palacios waltzed his way through the Mexican defense to slam a shot into the corner of the net. Then he teed up Jose Pereda, who beat goalie Jorge Campos with a delicate chip shot.
Suddenly, Mexico realized it was in a contest, and only in adversity did its offense stir in the slightest. Big, beefy blond-haired Luis Hernandez got his team on the board with a header, and moments later took a penalty kick earned by Miguel Zepeda. As quickly as it had been staring down the abyss, Mexico had clambered back onto the ledge.
It must have been vertigo that caused the next slip, though the only defense that could have dealt with Norberto Solano’s rocket shot from just outside the penalty area would have been a brick wall.
Goaltender Oscar Ibanez performed heroics to preserve Peru’s lead but with two minutes remaining Gerardo Torrano let go of a screaming shot that found its way into the net like a guided missile. It was too much for Peruvian nerves, for the penalty shootout was no contest, Mexico taking it 4-2.
Uruguay, perennial Copa America failure, has to be delighted to find itselfamong the Final Four after eliminating the host nation Paraguay on yet another of those pesky penalty shootouts. Even Uruguayans had not expected a largely second-string squad to reach this stage; certainly not coach Daniel Passarella, who has stayed at home along with his first-choice players.