Late Austrian equaliser cools Chile's ambitions

On the final whistle at a stunned Geoffroy Guichard stadium last night The Verve's Bittersweet Symphony came over the tannoy. It just about summed up Chile's World Cup so far.

Despite being responsible for some of the most attractive football in the tournament, Chile have not recorded a victory, and Nelson Acosta's side remain in the extremely vulnerable position of having taken only two points from two games.

As they had done against Italy, Chile lost a lead yesterday, and again in the most trying of circumstances. Last week they were denied by a ludicrous penalty and it will probably be of no consolation that here at least they saw another two points vanish to a genuine effort, a well-struck shot from the Austrian substitute Ivica Vastic.

Only seconds remained as, for the second match in succession, Austria snatched a point in injury-time, a tribute to their endeavour if nothing else. The result means that Chile have not won a game in the finals since 1962, and there is a real possibility of them leaving the tournament after their match against Cameroon next Tuesday.

They will need Marcelo Salas and Ivan Zamorano to be in top form in that match if they are to progress. Salas's three goals so far will be of no consequence if they do not. His third of the tournament came in the 70th minute and at the time looked like a winner.

But Austria, who improved greatly on their Cameroon performance, fought on, and Vastic's spectacular strike from inside the D might just have merited a draw on its own.

It was desperately hard on the Chileans, who trooped off with heads in hands. They had the neutrals' sympathy, their positive approach taking them quickly into that sweet groove which had so bewitched Italy in Bordeaux.

Salas, Zamorano and Fabian Estay were thrillingly slick and inventive in their early movement and passing and they were ably supported by Francisco Rojas, one of the tournament's most impressive individuals to date.

Chile's pretty patterns did not perplex their opponents for all their beauty, Austria being much more solid than they had been in their opener against Cameroon.

With the defence more secure, Austria had in midfield the diminutive Roman Mahlich, a man who could run at and beat players. Their creativity was enhanced further at half-time when the country's wayward superstar Andreas Herzog was introduced. With his first touch, a neat volley, he initiated a move that should have put Austria in front. From Herzog the ball was ferried to Toni Polster and from him to Mario Haas, unmarked at the far post, but Markus Schopp got in the way.

Chile broke away after Rojas had dispossessed Peter Schottel, but Salas failed miserably to exploit space and misdirected his cross.

Although the final ball was wasted, the move rejuvenated Chile's attack. From a free-kick on the left by the substitute Jose Luis Sierra, Zamorano rose highest, only to see his powerful downward header rebound off Michael Konsel. Just as he had been in Italy's six-yard box, Salas was sniffing for just such ricochets, and he bundled the ball in. Konsel almost stopped it but all of the ball crossed the line - just.

Three minutes from the end Konsel's fingertips prevented another goal from a superb volley from Zamorano; that, as much as Vastic's shot, gave Austria their point.

Acosta appeared close to tears after a result that leaves group D wide open. "I really cannot understand what happened," he said. "We completely dominated the match. We scored a magnificent goal and there were only seconds left.

"Ivica was left alone. He was allowed to turn, he shot and that was the end of it. It was exactly the same thing as happened against Italy. We are suffering."

Austrian coach Herbert Proaska denied his team had been fortunate.