Chile, Peru Play to Goalless Draw in Copa Opener

Photo: Eric Guzman

Chile 0-0 Peru

ARLINGTON, TX–Chile and Peru opened their Cope America with a goalless draw at AT&T Stadium in North Texas. Claudio Bravo made four saves for Chile to keep Peru off the score sheet while they themselves could only get one shot on target out of ten shots in total.

The match was played on a temporary grass surface as, like Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, AT&T Stadium is normally a FieldTurf pitch. The grass may have played a role in Peru’s Jorge Fossati going off in the 34th minute to an injury.

“This isn’t normal grass that’s planted and grows,” Fossati said after the game. “It can be a little harder, and it can affect you. I’m not a doctor.”

Argentina’s Lionel Scaloni called the pitch in Atlanta after their 2-0 win over Canada in the opening match of the tournament, “not good for spectacle”, while goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez called it a ‘disaster’.

Peru next face Canada at Children’s Mercy Park in Kansas City on Tuesday (5pm, FS1) which is a natural grass surface while Chile face Argentina at MetLife Stadium (another grass over turf pitch) in New Jersey on Tuesday (8pm, FS1).

For more of Eric Guzman’s photos from the night at AT&T Stadium, please click on the link to his gallery.

Photo: Eric Guzman