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Chile beat New Zealand in final warm-up |
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Chile's impressive run of form continued with a 2-0 win over New Zealand in a practice match in Nelspruit on Thursday.
Gonzalo Fierro and Esteban Paredes scored the goals within three minutes in the last of three 30-minute periods to see off the World Cup Group F minnows as coaches Marcelo Bielsa and Ricki Herbert took the opportunity to run the rule over almost every member of their squads.
Chile had to work hard to break down their valiant opponents, who held firm while their first choice team was on the pitch for the first hour, but Fierro's powerful strike finally broke the deadlock in the 68th minute, and Paredes swiftly doubled the lead with a low finish.
After the match, All Whites striker Chris Killen labelled the organisation at Kanyamazane Stadium a "shambles", after the pre-match meal arrived too close to kick-off and there was a lack of hot water in the showers afterwards.
Killen said: "It wasn't one of our better performances. The ball retention wasn't good but I think you can put some of it down to the preparation. There was no pre-match meal ready and it was a shambles."
Killen disagreed with Herbert's assertion that his strikers needed to increase their sharpness ahead of the World Cup.
"Over the years we have lacked a goal scoring threat but we have scored against good teams. I think it was more about ball retention today. We've travelled a lot and it's nice to be in camp and now we've got to go away and get ready for the opening game. The atmosphere was brilliant today and we can't wait for the World Cup to start."
New Zealand take on Slovakia in their opening game on June 15, with Chile beginning their Group H campaign against Honduras the following day.
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