Chile opens Copa America with hard-fought victory over Ecuador

The atmosphere was tense well before the 2015 Copa America kicked off in the Chilean capital of Santiago on Thursday, and the host country - for the 44th edition of the tournament - ensured the nervous energy of an entire nation transformed into jubilation, and stayed that way well into the evening.

Chile, buoyed by second-half goals from Arturo Vidal and Eduardo Vargas, opened the tournament with a 2-0 victory over Ecuador at the Estadio Nacional, showcasing - in flashes - the scintillating, fluid football that has made them one of the world's most exciting teams under Jorge Sampaoli.

Though the scoreline ultimately reflected what was a deserved win for the La Roja, there were harrowing moments in the second half that highlighted some of the potential problems Sampaoli could face going forward.

Likewise, it showed that Ecuador - not expected to make a particularly deep run in the tournament - will be capable of putting teams under pressure with their impressive speed on the flanks and the presence of Enner Valencia up front, who was a menace for the Chilean defense throughout the evening, and came agonizingly close to knotting the score at one apiece when his 82nd-minute header crashed against the crossbar.

Here's what you need to know about the maiden match of the 2015 Copa America ...

The Goals

66th minute - Arturo Vidal, Chile: The Juventus star, coming off his team's disappointing loss in the Champions League final, showed no signs of fatigue in the opening match of the tournament. The mohawk-clad midfielder won the penalty with a quick burst into the area - having been hauled down by Miller Bolanos - and stepped to the spot to convert with a side-footed effort into the top corner.

84th minute - Eduardo Vargas, Chile: After Alexis Sanchez picked up a stray Ecuadorian pass that was woefully off-target, the Arsenal star broke free on a two-on-two alongside substitute Eduardo Vargas. The latter broke wide, accepting a perfect ball slotted through the two defenders, and promptly stroked it into the far corner to solidify the win.

Man of the Match - Alexis Sanchez

The Arsenal star, coming into the competition after a marvelous season with the Gunners that saw him earn plaudits as one of the best players in the Premier League, showed why he was regarded so highly after his first campaign in England.

The chiseled 26-year-old attacker, played up front by Sampaoli due to the team's lack of a true world-class striker, was his usual buzzing self, popping up all over the pitch and dazzling with his first touch, quickness, and ability to shimmy and shake Ecuadorian defenders out of their boots.

Exhibit A:

Though he will need some help up front as the tournament ventures into the latter stages, Sanchez is easily one of the best players in this competition and showed why on Thursday night.

The 1,000 Words

"Sorry, my planet needs me now."

Stray Thoughts

• Chile will need to show more variance in attack, as the opening half saw them venture forward almost exclusively down the right wing, where Mauricio Isla bombed into the penalty area on multiple occasions after slick combinations with Vidal and Sanchez. While having Isla as a focal point is fine, it will be important to ensure that they are not one-dimensional moving forward.

• Eduardo Vargas, who just over two months ago suffered an MCL injury that was expected to rule him out for three months, proved a wise substitution by Sampaoli, as his introduction - and the formation shift it inspired - were key in Chile ultimately gaining control of the contest in the second half.

• That said, the decision to shift to a back-four, which forced Isla to a traditional right-back position and saw him come up against Jefferson Montero, was a serious issue. Montero, one of the premier dribblers in the tournament, tormented Isla with his pace and trickery. If he can continue to do that to other fullbacks as the competition continues, La Tri will enjoy success against both Mexico and Bolivia.

• Arturo Vidal is a baller, man:

• This isn't exactly a new revelation, but Chile continues to look very vulnerable from set pieces. Relying on Gary Medel as a makeshift central defender can have that impact. Indeed, it was a set piece that led to Valencia's aforementioned header in the 82nd minute, which proved to be Ecuador's best chance at tying the contest.

• With a weakened Mexico side and an unheralded Bolivia team rounding out Group A, these are the two best teams in the section. The hosts, definitely so.