MADRID — Chile notched a third win in as many matches under new coach Jorge Sampaoli when they beat Egypt 2-1 in an international football friendly in Madrid on Wednesday.
Reuters
It was Sampaoli’s first match with his full senior squad including exiles, since taking over from fellow Argentine Claudio Borghi in December, after wins over Senegal and Haiti with a team of home-based players last month.
Chile scored through striker Eduardo Vargas on the hour and midfielder Carlos Carmona six minutes later with Mohamed Salah pulling one back two minutes from time for American coach Bob Bradley’s Egypt team. Goalkeeper Claudio Bravo kept a lacklustre Chile in the game in the first half before Vargas and midfielder Marcelo Diaz came on in the second half to lift them and bring the best out Alexis Sanchez, who had a part in both goals.
Carmona, back in the side after a suspension for indiscipline, scored the decisive second goal from the rebound after goalkeeper Sherif Ekramy could only parry a stinging shot from Sanchez.
Chile next play South American World Cup qualifiers away to Peru on March 22 and at home to Uruguay four days later.
They are sixth in the South American group, eight points adrift of leaders Argentina and outside the qualifying berths.
