That a Juan Carlos Valenzuela own goal in the 75th minute gave Chile a 1-0 win over Mexico pretty much summed up the tenor of this game.

Neither team exhibited much rhythm and attacking opportunities were sparse – especially in a dull first half dominated (and I use the term loosely) by Mexico.

In fact, the only two real scoring opportunities of the opening 45 minutes provided bookends to the half. In the second minute a Chilean defender came close to scoring an own goal, while Chile striker Fabian Orellana produced the game’s sole moment of intoxicating brilliance on the right wing, beating three Mexican defenders and unleashing a shot in stoppage time.

The second half goal came as Valenzuela attempted to rather casually cut out a cross by striker Jose Fuenzalida from reaching a lurking forward behind him and knocked it in the net from a couple of yards out.

Overall though, not much value for money for the overwhelmingly pro-Mexican crowd of 32,924, many of whom not surprisingly didn’t stick around long and headed for the exits early.

Updated: That’s the first time I’ve heard a post-game press conference conducted in the three languages of Spanish, English and Swedish, but Mexico Coach Sven-Goran Eriksson didn’t have much to say in any of them.

Samples of what he said (with what he actually meant following):
*”I like the mentality of the team. They worked very hard.” (But they played like generally crap and I couldn’t point to anything that was particularly effective.”

*”It was very important to me to work with players we’d never worked with before.” (And after that performance thank gawd I don’t have to see most of them again in a national team jersey).

Paraphrased question: Could you tell us who especially impressed you?
Paraphrased answer: I couldn’t single anyone out. (Are you kidding me?)

Smaller crowd than usual for a Mexico game tonight, perhaps because of the relatively high ticket prices given the squad of youngsters and “B” team players trying to force their way back into the international reckoning.

BTW, Mexico and Chile last met June 4 in the Copa America when they played to a 0-0 draw.

The Mexico starting lineup (4-3-3):
GK Memo Ochoa
D Diego Martinez
D Juan Carlos Valenzuela
D Leobardo Lopez
D Pausto Pinto
M Antonio Naelson
M Jaime Correa
M Luis Ernesto Perez
F Enrique Esqueda
F Francisco Fonseca
F Carlos Ochoa

Chile (4-3-3)
GK Miguel Pinto
D Marco Estrada
D Osvaldo Gonzalez
D Han Martinez
D Roberto Cereceda
M Manuel Iturra
M Fernando Meneses
M Emilio Hernandez
F Jose Pedro Fuenzalida
F Boris Sagredo
F Fabian Orellana

The game is on Telemundo.

The basics on the 8 p.m. friendly were recounted in Tuesday’s column.

Here’s more on the challenges facing Sven.

And former CD Guadalajara prodigy Carlos Vela was otherwise engaged Tuesday banging home a hat trick for Arsenal in his first start for the London club.

I plan to blog from the game tonight and fans who are attending should remember there’s a pre-game Futbol Fiesta Zone with live music and a massive 50-foot-tall Mexico National Team jersey fans can sign. Activities crank up at 4 p.m. in parking lot six.

It’s adios, Hugo, hola, Sven, when Mexico plays Chile Wednesday at the Coliseum. Tickets are still available, by the way.