LA PAZ, June 15 (Reuters) - Defender Gary Medel scored
twice, the first a stunning bicycle kick, to give Chile a 2-0
win in Bolivia in a World Cup qualifier on Sunday.
Medel opened the scoring on the half hour after Pedro
Morales’s free kick crashed against the crossbar.
The rebound was headed back into the area by Jean
Beausejour and Medel, with his back to goal, hooked the ball
into the net with an overhead kick from the penalty spot.
After a sustained spell of Bolivia pressure early in the
second half, Medel clinched the three points with an equally
classy second goal, sweeping the ball home after collecting a
corner on his chest.
The match was staged in La Paz, at 3,600 metres above sea
level, after FIFA last month lifted a ban on international
games being played at over 2,750 metres.
Both teams were hindered as much by a bumpy, badly-worn
pitch as the altitude.
Chile coach Marcelo Bielsa’s gamble of fielding an
inexperienced team paid off as his side moved on to seven
points from five games in the 10-team South American group.
Bolivia stayed bottom with one point.
(Writing by Brian Homewood in Rio de Janeiro; Editing by Ed
Osmond)