How do Chile need to set up for the final?
For most teams facing off against an Argentina side that possesses not only the best player in the world in Lionel Messi but also Sergio Aguero, Javier Pastore and Angel Di María, you would expect to say defend deep and stay compact, nullifying space between the lines and behind the defence.
But Chile aren't most teams. They are unique.
Away to Colombia in qualifying for last year's World Cup finals, they raced into a three-goal first-half lead before losing a player in the second half and attempting to defend their lead.
The game finished 3-3. It was a mesmerising match. One in which coach Jorge Sampaoli learnt a lesson. He admitted afterwards that his side are not built to defend the area.
In a defensive sense, Chile are confrontational. The defenders don't drop back and let the forwards come on to them.
The likes of Gary Medel and Gonzalo Jara, who is suspended, are proactive and aggressive and will commit themselves to challenges higher up the pitch.
Whether Chile play with a back three or four, they will press high and push Argentina's dangerous players away from goalkeeper Claudio Bravo.
The one alteration in their attitude may be reining in Arturo Vidal's and Charles Aranguiz's forward surges, Sampaoli perhaps asking them to help Marcelo Diaz and acting as NFL tackles to stop Pastore and Di María.
What are Argentina's weaknesses that Chile can exploit?
Against Paraguay in their semi-final, Argentina looked most vulnerable when trying to play from the back.
Nicolas Otamendi and Martin Demichelis were getting the ball in very deep areas but there was a nervousness about them.
Paraguay pushed high and stopped any Argentine fluidity in deep areas.
Chile are experienced in the art of pressing so will likely do so with more structure and greater intensity.
This may force Argentina to forego their passing from the back and go more direct, which will suit Chile if the ball is in the air without an Argentine target man.
The problem is if they get the Chile defence turning.
Another area Chile may be able to exploit is the areas around and behind Javier Mascherano.
Lucas Biglia and Pastore have been on the front foot as well as the full backs. Space is there for Jorge Valdivia as well as Vidal and Aranguiz if they do not have shackles placed on them.
Space for Valdivia will allow him to thread passes behind the slow Argentine defence for Eduardo Vargas and Alexis Sanchez.
What will be the key battles?
Gary Medel and Marcelo Diaz v Lionel Messi
Messi will drift from the left-hand side with the ball, in and out of challenges, in and out, before looking for that arced ball over the defence to runners from the left to score.
Or he will look for combinations around the box before popping off a shot.
With Pablo Zabaleta surging forward from full back and Aguero darting right, Chile's left centre back and left back – if they play four at the back – will be occupied.
This means much responsibility will be on Diaz and one of the centre halves, probably Medel, to come out and squeeze Messi's options.
Diaz is an intelligent player while Medel has the low centre of gravity and aggression that can be used to combat Messi's magic.
Mauricio Isla v Angel Di Maria
Isla is a player who looks much more at home in a Chile shirt bombing forward with a large dollop of recklessness.
He has been excellent going forward so far, linking with Valdivia and Vidal and scoring the winner against Uruguay.
But he has yet to come up against someone as penetrating, as quick and as good as Di Maria.
Will Isla try to force him back and risk leaving acres of space in behind him, space that Jefferson Montero attacked in Chile's opener with Ecuador?
If Isla can shut out Di Maria, it will prevent Messi reaching one of his favoured targets.
Jorge Valdivia v Javier Mascherano
Could there be two more contrasting players.
The creative genius whose career has suffered from a spate of injuries and off-field misdemeanours against the ultimate team player.
Yet Valdivia has surprised just about everyone, having started every game and remained in consistent fitness. He has harried opponents without the ball and sparkled with it.
Medel's goal from Valdivia's flighted assist in the 5-0 victory over Bolivia in Group A is up there with Eduardo Vargas' rocket in the 2-1 semi-final win against Peru as Chile's goal of the tournament.
Mascherano can at times be left to his own devices for Argentina defensively.
Who will win between the visceral talents of "El Mago", Valdivia, or the hard-running dependability of Mascherano?
Score prediction?
Chile 2, Argentina 4.
Saturday, 4 July 2015
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