Three days before Chile’s opening match at the FIFA U-20 World Cup™, coach Nicolas Cordova reflected on what could be considered “success” for his charges.
Cordova spoke about the importance of good results; about the need to rekindle Chilean fans’ confidence in their national football. But he also offered a broader perspective.
“Although all of them already have professional contracts, they’re still finishing their teenage years,” he told FIFA. “They’re still in a developmental stage, and we need for that development to move forward quicker, especially in Chile, so we can have more mature players earlier on. It is something we don’t currently have.”
If maturation is what they are looking for, what the Chileans boys went through on Saturday night at the National Stadium in Santiago will be hard to match. With a goal by central defender Ian Garguez in the seventh minute of second-half stoppage time, La Rojita defeated a valiant New Zealand side 2-1 to close out the opening round in Group A.
So intense were those moments that it wouldn’t be an exaggeration to say the electrifying 90-plus minutes felt like years’ worth of experience.
“It was crazy, hard to explain. What we went through [tonight] doesn’t even make sense,” said captain Juan Rossel. “But of course it’s hugely important for us that the fans are already supporting us. Starting with a win matters too. It helps us build confidence, but we haven’t won anything yet.”
A striker at Universidad de Chile, Rossel is used to seeing the National Stadium packed and buzzing. For goalkeeper Sebastian Mella, though, a crowd of 45,547 was something entirely new in his young career. “It’s the first time I’ve ever played in front of so many people,” laughed one of the night’s heroes.
With the score still 0-0 early in the second half, Mella pulled off two spectacular saves in quick succession to prevent the Junior All Whites from taking the lead. The goalkeeper was called on several more times, but produced a brilliant performance, and was only beaten by Nathan Walker’s penalty in the 85th minute.
“It was intense,” he continued. “Dealing with the emotions wasn’t easy, but I stayed very calm, very responsible. I’m ready for anything.”
In his conversation with FIFA, Rossel also remained composed as he recalled the chaotic scene that led to Garguez’s winning strike and the eruption of the Chilean supporters that followed.
“I remember feeling terrible cramp in my calves,” he admitted. “Willy [Chatiliez] crossed the ball, I was in the middle of the box and tried to reach it. I think the goalkeeper lost his focus and spilled the ball, and he managed to finish it off. The crowd went wild, and you could just see how they celebrated the goal. It was amazing that it happened that way.”
Midfielder Lautaro Millan, scorer of the night’s opening goal, just hopes there will be more such moments as the group stage progresses.
“I want them to keep supporting us, to believe in us, because this team is really going to give everything,” he stated. “Believe in us, because it was a beautiful celebration and we showed that we are a team that has no limits.”
