WORLD CUP: Toronto witnessed preview of Brazil versus Chile Round of 16 clash last November

Toronto had witnessed a preview only eight months ago as Brazil won 2-1 on Nov. 19 at the Rogers Centre during a friendly with 30,000 people at the attendance.

Hulk and Robinho scored for the Seleçao while Eduardo Vargas had the only Chilean goal.

It was pretty much like a teaser for the main event. Both teams played with their respective best players, and all the important pieces were on the field – only exception was the Juventus’ star Arturo Vidal.

In that match Brazil outplayed completely its opponent and the key to success on Saturday must be the same: counters and aerial attacks.

Head coach Jorge Sampaoli’s attacking style has made Chile very entertaining to watch - it worked at its best against reigning champions Spain - but can be actually a problem against a really quick team of players like the Brazilians.

At that friendly in Toronto last November, Brazil created dozens of chances with Neymar, Oscar and Ramires on counter attacks.

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• Dec 31, 1969
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• Dec 31, 1969
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Another clearl advantage for Brazil is that the Chilean defenders are definitely not tall. Every single squad has just hammered them in the air (Australia and Holland scored that way), and so did Brazil in that friendly, which delivered more than a couple of headers and has scored one with Robinho (a player nearly as tall as the players on the current roster).

Chile, of course, needs to control the ball, something they did not do in Toronto. La Roja’s only goal happened through a loose ball kicked by the goalkeeper that fell kindly for Vargas to unleash a beautiful shot outside the box.

The bright side for the Chileans happened also in a friendly, on March 2013, at the exactly same stadium in Belo Horizonte where they will play on Saturday.

The two teams only used their players from South America leagues during the 2-2 draw, even so Chile did it usually does best: moving like a tiger on the flanks, suffocating the opponents on their own field, changing the wingers left to right all the time.

Aranguiz and Vidal can definitely have that work done setting up for an always dangerous Barcelona’s Alexis Sanchez. Brazil’s goal on the match though, almost unnecessary to say, came from a header.

It seems theoretically an obvious way to win for both teams, but just like any match in this World Cup there is nothing obvious.

The Round of 16 on Saturday is a completely blank sheet so to speak.

Odds are against Chile

Brazil has always been a nightmare for Chile. The two teams have met three times in World Cup history, and in all of them the Brazilians had a victory.

The Seleçao reached its second trophy in the tournament playing in Chile during World Cup 1962, beating the host nation 4-2 in the semis.

La Roja would be more than grateful if the Brazilian squad could return the favor giving it an authentic mi casa su casa.

However, the odds are not really on the Chileans side. Brazil has eliminated them two other times, both at the Round of 16. In France 1998 the Brazilians won 4-1. During South Africa 2010, Brazil won 3-0.

Looking to Head to Head in all friendlies and competitions, things got no better for Chile. In 70 matches they met, Brazil has won 50, Chile only seven, with 13 ties. The last time the red ones set a victory over the Brazilian national team was 3-0 in 2000 during World Cup qualifiers.

Brazil’s Neymar and Chile’s Alexis Sanchez are teammates at Barcelona.

Over the 2013-14 season: Neymar had 15 goals, 11 assists in 34 appearances; Sanchez had 20 goals, 12 assists in 35 appearances

I know what you did last summer

Three different Chilean players play in the Brazilian national league, more than any other country in the World Cup except Brazil (4). The Chileans playing the Brazilian legue are Eugenio Mena (Santos), Charles Aranguiz (Internacional) and Jorge Valdivia (Palmeiras)

Coincidence, talisman, premonition?

Eduardo Vargas scored twice against Brazil last year, in two different matches, both goals with his right foot, on the same side of the field, with the same strike shot outside the box.

Here’s some final stats to cosider. Brazil has ever lost to Chile at home. Brazil is undefeated against Chile in the last 12 matches (10 W, 2 D). Brazil scored 36 goals on that span (three per game). Robinho scored nine goals on that span, more than all Chileans (seven).

* Leandro Vignoli is a Brazilian soccer fan living in Toronto. He will provide Metroland Media Toronto with updates on the Brazilian team before and during the 2014 World Cup which takes place in Brazil starting this June.