Chile beat Colombia in shootout to reach semis

Quarter-final

Colombia 0-0 Chile (Chile win 5-4 on penalties)

Chile kept their Copa America title defence alive with a penalty shoot-out win over Colombia in the quarter-finals on Friday.

In what was a largely scrappy and tight encounter, two-time defending champions Chile were held to a 0-0 draw at the Arena Corinthians in Sao Paulo.

Chile twice thought they had found a breakthrough, but strikes from Charles Aranguiz and Arturo Vidal were ruled out after VAR reviews.

But they delivered in the penalty shoot-out, Alexis Sanchez converting the winner to seal a 5-4 success after William Tesillo missed for Colombia.

Chile edged the first half and Aranguiz forced a superb save from Colombia goalkeeper David Ospina with a 12th-minute header, although the VAR would likely have ruled out the effort for offside if it had gone in.

Aranguiz thought he had given his side the lead just four minutes later.

Sanchez played in Jean Beausejour down the left and Ospina, along with Davinson Sanchez, made a mess of the cross, with Aranguiz netting from an angle.

Alexis Sanchez attempts to evade a Colombian tackle.

However, the goal was ruled out after a VAR review, with replays showing Sanchez was narrowly offside down the left.

The first half lacked any real rhythm, with Guillermo Maripan heading a Beausejour cross over 10 minutes before the break and Vidal curling a Sanchez pass just wide moments later.

The battle continued after the break, with efforts from distance or set-pieces appearing the most likely avenues to a goal for both teams.

The VAR was again involved after Chile thought they had their opener through Vidal in the 71st minute.

Vidal finished clinically from inside the area, but the goal was ruled out after Sanchez’s volley hit the arm of Maripan in the build-up.

That was the last of the opportunities through 90 minutes before Chile were too good in the shoot-out.

Vidal, Eduardo Vargas, Erick Pulgar and Aranguiz produced fine spot-kicks before Tesillo fired wide, Sanchez stepping up to put away the winner.

Chile will face either Uruguay or Peru in a semi-final in Porto Alegre on Wednesday, while Colombia look ahead to friendlies with Brazil and Venezuela in September.

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