Canada opened the road to the next World Cup with a narrow 1-0 victory over Chile, a scoreline that flattered the South Americans after a difficult and ill-tempered night.
Quick facts
- Canada beat Chile 1-0.
- Jonathan David scored the decisive goal.
- Chile’s performance was marked by violence.
- Canada had chances to win by a far wider margin.
- The defeat gives Chile a poor start in its attempt to return to the World Cup.
Jonathan David supplied the finish that separated the sides, but Canada’s advantage could have been much more emphatic. The North Americans created enough to put the result beyond doubt and were left with only one goal to show for their superiority.
For Chile, the opening step towards a hoped-for World Cup return went badly wrong. La Roja were unable to contain Canada effectively and added a violent edge to a performance short on control.
Canada will take the points and the confidence from a disciplined win, while Chile must quickly address both its football and its conduct if its qualifying campaign is to recover.
