Photo RAUL ARBOLEDA / AFP
Colombia climbed to the top of the South American qualifiers this Tuesday with a resounding 4-0 win over bottom-place Chile, which is beginning its farewell to the 2026 World Cup, while Argentina, guided by Lionel Messi, prepared its best weapons against Bolivia in defense of his leadership.
Brazil, in the midst of restructuring, receives Peru, which must continue adding without delay to maintain hope, on the tenth date of a regional qualifying round that begins to outline its advanced group for the tournament that North America will organize in two years.
Argentina, leader with 19 points, the same as Colombia but with one game less, defends the lead against a Bolivia that is on the rise, being the winningest team in the 2024 qualifiers.
Between Uruguay (15 points), in third position, and Bolivia, in the sixth step with twelve units, all of them in the direct classification zone, there is just three units of difference.
Colombia rises, Chile sinks
The duel against Chile was made easy for Colombia with a 4-0 win in hot Barranquilla that began with a carom goal in the 34th minute, due to a rebound of the ball off the back of Darwin Sánchez’s head. From there, Colombia was a steamroller. Striker Luis Díaz increased to 52 and in the last eight minutes Jhon Durán, first, and then Luis Siniterra (90+4), rounded off a solid work by those led by Néstor Lorenzo.
With the help of his idol James Rodríguez and the escapes of pure speed and skill of Luis Díaz, the coffee team is already visible in the World Cup in North America.
La Roja, on the other hand, has plummeted to the last place in the standings with just five points in ten games, a painful balance that puts Argentine coach Ricardo Gareca at risk.
Without replacement players from the successful Golden Generation that won two Copa América titles (2015 and 2016), Chile is on track to be left out of a World Cup for the third consecutive time.
Messi commands the heavy artillery
The world champion does not want to give any advantage against Bolivia and will present its heavy artillery at the Monumental, led by Messi, along with Julián Alvarez and Lautaro Martínez.
In his return before the Argentine public, Messi and his gunners have the dish served against a Bolivia that suffers on the plain.
But Bolivia also has reasons to smile. He arrives after adding two victories at 4,150 meters above sea level in his stronghold of El Alto, the last one leaving Colombia undefeated, and a historic one against Chile in Santiago.
“We are calm and very confident,” remarked coach Óscar Villegas, finishing sixth with 12 units, the last direct classification position.
Brazil: the pressure continues
Dorival Júnior breathed a sigh of relief in Santiago with a hard-fought 2-1 victory against Chile on the ninth round, which left them fourth with 13 points.
But the criticism of his Brazil remains more alive than ever. The ‘jogo bonito’ still does not appear and the patience of the ‘twisted’ is exhausted.
«In football there are oscillations. We have to work as quickly as possible to get out of that moment,” said Gerson, Flamengo midfielder.
Opposite, Peru revived by achieving its first victory, against Uruguay in Lima, and now with six points it is penultimate.
«On Tuesday we are going to play the most important game of the year. With humility, with our weapons, knowing that it is very complicated,” said the Incas coach, the Uruguayan Jorge Fossati, hours before traveling to Brasilia.
For Peru a draw would taste like glory, for Brazil victory is an obligation and a defeat is prohibited.
Uruguay: recalculating
Is it the same? Marcelo Bielsa’s Uruguay arrives in an identity crisis. The same team that scored goals and resounding victories, such as against Argentina and Brazil last year, got into a slump.
Two zero draws against Paraguay and Venezuela and the 1-0 loss in Lima against Peru stopped the Uruguayan momentum.
Against Ecuador in Montevideo, the mission is to return to the goal and leave behind the tidal wave caused by Luis Suárez, who retired from La Celeste in September, by making public the team’s annoyance over his coach’s treatment.
Opposite, the team from the middle of the world also needs to add, after drawing at home with Paraguay.
The tricolor is fifth, three points behind Uruguay, which remains third with fifteen points.
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