Eduardo Vargas darted onto a through ball in what looked like a perfectly-timed run.
VAR thought differently.
The Video Assistant Referee pulled back Vargas’ opening goal for Chile in a decision that seemed anything but conclusive, but substitute Alexis Sanchez found Arturo Vidal for a second-half winner over Cameroon at Otkrytiye Arena in Moscow.
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Chile goes atop the 2017 Confederations Cup’s Group A before Australia and Germany meet Monday in Sochi. Cameroon is fourth.
Chile was the better side in the first half, and Vargas hit the woodwork in the first minute before the pulled back goal.
🤔 Was this offside?
— FOX Soccer (@FOXSoccer) June 18, 2017
Moments like this won't settle the VAR debate anytime soon. @Powerade #ConfedCup #CMRCHI https://t.co/s4u9vnePa6
Cameroon backstop Fabrice Ondoa came up with several big saves for the CAF side.
The second half saw Cameroon on the front foot for a 20-25 minutes, and manager Juan Antonio Pizzi called upon dinged-up Arsenal striker Alexis Sanchez for the final 20 minutes.
And Sanchez did deliver, literally, sending a swooping ball for Vidal to head home with 10 minutes to play.
Chile nearly saw a second goal pulled back by VAR, as Alexis Sanchez’s breakaway run that led to Vargas depositing a rebound was very close to being offside.
The superstars come up big!
— FOX Soccer (@FOXSoccer) June 18, 2017
Alexis Sanchez finds Vidal to make it 1-0 for Chile. @Powerade #CMRCHI #ConfedCup https://t.co/dYppMlpDyp