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Bielsa says Chile succumbed to far superior Brazil

JOHANNESBURG - Brazil exposed every crack in Chile’s defence to beat them 3-0, leaving the young side floundering and outplayed, coach Marcelo Bielsa said.

Brazil are among the favorites to win soccer’s most treasured prize and the enigmatic Bielsa said his team had not been able to challenge their South American rivals.

“Brazil’s superiority was too much for us and we were unable to slow them down,” he told a news conference after Monday’s second round game at the Ellis Park stadium in Johannesburg, declining to say whether he would stay on as coach.

Bielsa has transformed the Chilean team in his three years in charge, turning them from one of the worst on the continent into one of the best, but that was not enough to cause the five-times world champions much trouble.

“It’s hard to adapt to an opponent when there’s such a big gap in quality,” said the eccentric Argentine.

“Today I hoped we’d be able to achieve something. I hoped we’d be able to get closer to Brazil (and) I don’t think it was such a one-way match, but we didn’t have the necessary punch to transform pole position into danger,” he said.

Chile went into the match on the back of seven consecutive defeats by Brazil, but Bielsa’s plan to attack was ruthlessly exploited by a Dunga team which thrives when given room to play on the counter attack.

“You can’t leave such a competition without a distinct feeling of disappointment,” Bielsa said.

“There’s a lot of sadness and disappointment and I feel sorry (because) the players made a huge effort to showcase their best talents and prove their worth.”