Andrés Matonte is Uruguayan and is 36 years old. He is a physical education teacher and in 2022 he went to trial for alleged financial crimes, in a case that was unsuccessful. He is married to Adela Sánchez, a linesman, and in that house they must talk about football and regulations all day. Something similar to what happened in all of Chile after seeing his work in the Copa América match against Argentina, the current champion, which ended with a minimal advantage for the albiceleste with a goal scored by Lautaro Martínez in the 87th minute.
The widespread criticism, as in the old days, is for three specific plays. A clear penalty by Cristián Romero on Víctor Dávila for a slap in the area that was not even reviewed by the VAR. A stomp by De Paul against Gabriel Suazo and, finally, an obvious foul prior to the agonizing goal that also went unsanctioned. Despite the obvious superiority of the world champions in the first period, La Roja’s rise in the second was enough to excite, especially after two shots by Rodrigo Echeverría that forced Emiliano Martínez to act.
An illusion that seemed elusive after the lackluster debut against Peru, but that was reborn with a formation that tried to neutralize Lionel Messi and close the spaces. Once that objective was achieved, Gareca’s team decided to get out of the bottom. The defeat forces the Chileans to beat Canada next Saturday to reach the second phase, a goal that they have achieved consecutively since 2004.
The match, played at the Metlife in New Jersey, was played eight years after the final where Lionel Messi, with tears in his eyes, announced his retirement from the national team, frustrated for having lost the penalty in the final. He marked the gradual decline of Chile – which did not qualify for two consecutive World Cups – and the devastating emergence of the albiceleste, which won everything that was put in front of it under the guidance of Lionel Scaloni.
That dissimilar reality was clear on the field, where Chile’s precautions were evident in countering the dynamics and performance of its rival. They will face each other again on September 5 when the qualifiers for the 2026 World Cup resume.
That’s why, after the final whistle of Uruguayan Matonte, all the complaints from the press and Chilean fans were directed at the referee of the match. The feeling that FIFA and Conmebol are favouring Messi in a Cup that seems designed for him – the final will be played in Miami, his current resort – clouded the impartial view of a game that was exciting, but far from even. And that was defined by a couple of details, of those that fuel the controversy.
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