SANTA CLARA (California) • Mexico coach Juan Carlos Osorio was pondering his position yesterday after his side's 7-0 pasting by title holders Chile in the Copa America Centenario quarter-finals.
Saturday's defeat in Santa Clara, California, in front of thousands of Mexican fans dreaming of seeing their team in the final, was called the most bitter and humiliating in Mexico's football history by media across the Rio Grande.
"We had a horrible match. About my decision (whether to resign), the fact is I'm trying to digest this defeat and think calmly what to do," a shell-shocked Osorio said.
"What happened was shameful, a football accident. It was a very poor performance and I offer my apologies to everyone and all the Mexico fans."
The Colombian was appointed in October to steer Mexico to the 2018 World Cup Finals in Russia.
"I got it all wrong. I erred in my choices for the squad. I assume that responsibility. None of our players were at their best," he added.
Osorio said the result did not reflect the gulf between Mexican and Chilean football despite the South Americans' domination throughout the game.
"I didn't imagine such a big defeat and, with all due respect to Chile, there isn't a seven-goal difference between Chilean and Mexican football," he said.
"I have no explanation for the defeat. The third goal killed off all our possibilities. I see a very powerful Chile team with good chances of winning the competition."
Veteran defender Rafael Marquez put his faith in the work Osorio has done in charge of the team.
"(We have to) keep cool heads, think things through properly... and see that this simple result mustn't affect what we've been doing with professor Osorio, so I would give him the vote of confidence to carry on with this job," he told La Aficion.
Eduardo Vargas scored four goals, including a hat-trick in 13 devastating minutes either side of half-time, with Edson Puch (twice) and Alexis Sanchez also finding the net to send Chile into a semi-final against Colombia in Chicago on Wednesday.
The forward Vargas later dedicated his performance to his mother, who was earlier this week diagnosed with a heart problem in his homeland.
"I'm very happy with the performance. I dedicate it to my mum and my family," he said. "We started this tournament badly but we're getting stronger and stronger with every match."
The drubbing was Mexico's worst defeat in a major tournament. Their previous biggest loss was a 6-0 rout by West Germany at the 1978 World Cup in Argentina.
The rout was also only one goal away from equalling Mexico's heaviest ever defeat in any international, an 8-0 thrashing by England in London in 1961.
Chile's win was made all the more outstanding by the intimidating atmosphere they faced in front of 70,547 people at the Levi's Stadium.
REUTERS, AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE
