*Chile coach Pizzi said match was the “level of a World Cup quarter-final” *

*Australia set high future ambitions *

Australian players say they have taken confidence from Confederations Cup

By Pete Smith with Australia

“This match was more or less the same level as you would see in the quarter-final of the World Cup.” So said Chile coach Juan Antonio Pizzi after his side’s intensely-fought 1-1 draw against Australia, adding that the match was tougher than *La Roja’s *contest against world champions Germany.

Pizzi knows a thing or two about high-level football, having led his side to victory at the Copa America Centenario and throughout much of *La Roja’s *ongoing South American FIFA World Cup™ qualifying campaign. Last week Australia also earned high praise from German World Cup-winning coach Joachim Low who said the Socceroos “play really good combination football” and “boldly attack the big teams of world football”.

The result means Australia exit the FIFA Confederations Cup at the group-stage, following a 1-1 draw against Cameroon and a 3-2 defeat against Germany.

Australia coach Ange Postecoglou’s visible frustration at full-time provides a small insight into a heightened ambition for football Down Under. “We didn’t get through the group, and that was our objective, so I’m disappointed,” said Postecoglou. “It’s a missed opportunity.

“They [Chile] are a world class team, and have played some of the best teams in the world off the park.

"I am setting the highest possible benchmarks, and I think you have to if you want to compete at the highest possible level.

“I have enormous respect for Chile. We have seen them grow over the past four or five years and not take a backward step against anyone. I think there is something in that for us, and I think we can be a similar type of team.”