The qualifiers for the South America zone concluded overnight from Tuesday to Wednesday without any real surprises. Four countries had already qualified before the start of this last day of qualifying: Brazil, Argentina, Uruguay and Ecuador. It remained to know the identity of the barrage who will try to grab his place for the World Cup in June against Australia or the United Arab Emirates.
It will be Peru who managed to keep this place by beating Paraguay (2-0). The match was quickly dispatched, with two first-half goals from Lapadula and Yotun. The Blanquirroja can hope to participate in a second consecutive World Cup. For Chile and Colombia, two teams that reached the round of 16 at the last World Cups (2010, 2014, 2018), it’s a big disappointment. Thus Arturo Vidal and James Rodriguez, yet scorer in the success in Venezuela (0-1), will not be there in Qatar.
Brazil in record mode
In other matches, Brazil won 4-0 at 3600m in Bolivia. This victory, the fourteenth in seventeen playoff games, allows the Auriverde to break the absolute points record for a South American qualifying phase. With a total of 45 points, the Brazilians overtake Bielsa’s Argentina (43 points) who had achieved this score in order to qualify for the 2002 World Cup. Note that Marquinhos was a starter, as was Lucas Paqueta, scorer then passer for his former OL teammate Bruno Guimaraes.
Argentina was joined at the very end of the game by Ecuador (1-1). In Guayaquil, Lionel Messi started. The Parisian did not score but was behind the action leading to Julian Alvarez’s opener. Leandro Paredes also started the game before being substituted fifteen minutes from time. It was finally Enner Valencia who equalized on a penalty, in two stages, in added time. This draw allows the Albiceleste to equal their personal record of games without defeat (31). This series was carried out by Alfio Basile’s team between 1991 and 1993. Like Brazil, the Argentines did not lose a match in the playoffs. Both teams will be in Pot 1 of the World Cup draw on Friday in Doha (6 p.m.).
Results of the night:
Bolivia – Brazil: 0-4
Chili – Uruguay: 0-2
Ecuador – Argentina: 1-1
Peru – Paraguay: 2-0
Venezuela – Colombia: 0-1