Chile head coach Jorge Sampaoli said his side "struggled" in their opening Copa America match that saw them defeat Ecuador 2-0.
Goals from Arturo Vidal and Eduardo Vargas clinched all three points for Chile at the Estadio Nacional in Santiago.
Chile also face Mexico and Bolivia in Group A, with their next match against the former on June 16.
Sampaoli said in his postmatch news conference: "We had planned a match similar to the one against Brazil, with attacking players like [Jorge] Valdivia and Vidal.
"The plan worked well in the opening 45 minutes, but we struggled a bit after we failed to score.
"Without doing much, Ecuador caused us some difficulties in the first half. They then hit the crossbar in the second half and got another good chance. Had Ecuador pushed forward more, they could have hurt us.
"The result is just, though. Chile made the difference and deserved to win."
Sampaoli reserved praise for goalscorers Vidal and Vargas, adding: "Vidal endured a long and difficult journey [after the Champions League final in Berlin]. He felt his journey a bit, but was vital for us in the end.
"Vargas' goal will boost his confidence and generate optimism that he was missing before."