Coach Ricardo Gareca lamented Chile's inability to find their rhythm in a stop-start 0-0 Copa America draw with Peru on Friday, but he stressed he was not concerned about his side's chances of qualifying for the knockout stages.
Two-times champions Chile were the slightly better team in a bruising first half that was low on quality, while Peru had the best opportunities after the break, but neither side was able to find the breakthrough on a frustrating night for players and fans.
The contest was littered with stoppages, with 37 fouls committed at the AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, while a number of injuries also added to the interruptions.
"We tried to play, but Peru were very strong in their defense and they were able to break up our game," Gareca, who coached Peru from 2015-2022, told reporters.
"The referee allowed a lot for that type of play. So of course, there were a lot of breaks, and it was tough for us to create and to come up with these opportunities."
After the draw, Chile and Peru were left with a point each, trailing Group A leaders Argentina by two after the defending champions' 2-0 win over Canada on Thursday.
"We were not able to create many plays and execute them. We were under a lot of pressure and sometimes we were not accurate in our passes," Gareca added.
"I'm not concerned. I think this will be useful for us to analyze our game to improve our game.
"We of course hoped to win the match. But I think it's very important that we're able to take a point and we still have two matches ahead of us."
Peru's coach Jorge Fossati lauded his team's execution of their game plan, telling reporters: "This was a very relevant match for both teams. It was a very strategic and tactical game.
"We knew that if we gave some leeway to the opponent, if we let them run and made them feel comfortable, it was giving them a tool or a weapon that could really hurt us.
"We were aggressive but I don't think one team was more aggressive than the other. It was an even and fair game. But yes, I did expect this level of interruption" in the match.
Chile next face group leaders Argentina in New Jersey on Tuesday, while Peru take on Canada in Kansas City.
