Matias Vuoso Stuns Chile and Keeps Improved Mexico Alive in Copa America 2015

The world expected this from Chilean stars Arturo Vidal and Alexis Sanchez, but not from Mexico's Matias Vuoso.

Manchester City fans were left rubbing their eyes on Monday as the player who signed for them back in 2002 and left without playing a game struck twice in a 3-3 draw to puncture the hosts' dreams of sealing qualification with a game to spare.

Back in Mexico, he restored his career with Santos Laguna over two spells with the club, two more at America, one at Atlas and then a loan to Chiapas.

So while followers of Liga MX will have been aware of the forward's threat, many people who stopped tracking his progress will be surprised by his impact at Santiago's Estadio Nacional.

And even some Mexican football fans quizzed his inclusion at the age of 33.

But it was Chile coach Jorge Sampaoli left looking disgusted after the opening goal, as Mexico netted in the 21st minute.

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It was the best move they had strung together in the tournament after a weak and ineffectual 0-0 draw with Bolivia in their first match.

After the team won the ball back in midfield, it was moved left to Jesus Manuel Corona. Although he stumbled as he took the ball forward, the No. 7 regained his balance and swung a lovely ball over to the right-hand side of the box.

Juan Carlos Medina collected it there, putting it back into the centre for Vuoso to pounce.

The striker looked delighted as he grabbed a goal on a rare start for his national side.

He's usually not part of Miguel Herrera's first-choice team, but given the strong squad being taken to the Gold Cup and the relative weakness of the Copa team, this is a good opportunity for him to say goodbye, as his career winds down.

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Back struck Chile, with the aforementioned Vidal and Alexis at the heart of everything good about La Roja's play.

Although Jorge Valdivia wasn't as impressive as on the opening day, he too played an important role in helping them get back level—not once but twice.

Raul Jimenez had Mexico's best effort against Bolivia as a substitute and was rewarded with a start here.

He paid his manager back with an excellent header to send El Tri back ahead after Vidal's equaliser, only for Eduardo Vargas to level the score once more.

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Ricardo Mazalan/Associated Press

Juventus star Vidal scored Chile's 1000th goal in history to give his side the lead, but Vuoso popped up again to settle things at three goals each.

Adrian Aldrete’s quite wonderful ball, fired diagonally into Vuoso's path, gave the striker the chance to fire it beyond Claudio Bravo and into the net.

No player in La Liga managed to beat Bravo twice this season, with the Chilean goalkeeper in wonderful form, so this was an impressive feat.

Vuoso's double secured a point Mexico deserved, and they now have a good chance of progressing if they beat Ecuador in their final game.

Depending on other results, now even a draw may be enough for Mexico to progress to the quarter-finals.