Bielsa: Chile succumbed to far superior Brazil
Reuters - Monday 28 June 2010, 22:29
JOHANNESBURG - Brazil exposed every crack
in Chile's defence to beat them 3-0, leaving the young side
floundering and outplayed, coach Marcelo Bielsa said.
Brazil are among the favorites to win soccer's most
treasured prize and the enigmatic Bielsa said his team had not
been able to challenge their South American rivals.
"Brazil's superiority was too much for us and we were unable
to slow them down," he told a news conference after Monday's
second round game at the Ellis Park stadium in Johannesburg,
declining to say whether he would stay on as coach.
Bielsa has transformed the Chilean team in his three years
in charge, turning them from one of the worst on the continent
into one of the best, but that was not enough to cause the
five-times world champions much trouble.
"It's hard to adapt to an opponent when there's such a big
gap in quality," said the eccentric Argentine.
"Today I hoped we'd be able to achieve something. I hoped
we'd be able to get closer to Brazil (and) I don't think it was
such a one-way match, but we didn't have the necessary punch to
transform pole position into danger," he said.
Chile went into the match on the back of seven consecutive
defeats by Brazil, but Bielsa's plan to attack was ruthlessly
exploited by a Dunga team which thrives when given room to play
on the counter attack.
"You can't leave such a competition without a distinct
feeling of disappointment," Bielsa said.
"There's a lot of sadness and disappointment and I feel
sorry (because) the players made a huge effort to showcase their
best talents and prove their worth."
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