Ecuador is one win away from returning to the World Cup after a 1-1 house draw with South American qualifying chief Brazil on Thursday. Coach Gustavo Alfaro’s staff will qualify to play in Qatar after they beat Peru subsequent week.
Chile, as soon as a power within the area, noticed Argentina fall dramatically after a 2–1 house loss to second-placed Argentina. Chile must obtain good leads to Bolivia and Brazil, with their final match within the competitors probably in opposition to bitter rivals Uruguay in Santiago.
With a aim from the skilled Luis Suárez, Uruguay returned to competition after a 1–0 win over Paraguay. It was the staff’s first win for brand spanking new coach Diego Alonso, who took over after veteran Oscar Tabarez was fired as a result of poor outcomes.
Brazil (36 factors) and Argentina (32) have already certified for the World Cup. Ecuador has 24 factors, 5 forward of Uruguay. Colombia and Peru, who will meet on Friday in Barranquilla, Colombia, have 17 factors every. Chile have 16 and will overtake Bolivia (15), which can journey to Venezuela _ the one staff within the area out of competition for a spot.
South America has 4 direct World Cup venues, and the fifth-placed staff will play the worldwide playoffs for a berth.
Ecuador 1, Brazil 1
Ecuador drew at house to extend their probabilities of qualifying in a sport in opposition to Brazil, sending two gamers out and overturning a number of key referee choices by video evaluate.
Casemiro opened the scoring for Brazil within the sixth minute by tapping into an empty web _ which has already certified for the World Cup in Qatar _ earlier than Ecuador equalized within the seventy fifth minute with a header by Felix Torres.
But it was Colombian referee Wilmer Roldan who attracted essentially the most consideration by reversing a sequence of main choices after VAR _ by which Brazilian goalkeeper Alisson was proven the pink card solely twice, each have been cancelled.
Roldan didn’t even blow the whistle for the foul when Ecuadorian goalkeeper Alexandre Dominguez put studs across the neck of Brazilian striker Matthias Cunha and challenged for a ball on the fringe of the sphere within the sixteenth minute. After the VAR evaluate, Dominguez was given a straight pink card.
Brazilian defender Emerson Royal was given the second yellow within the twentieth minute and Alisson grew to become the third participant to be dismissed 10 minutes later. However, Roldan modified his thoughts and confirmed a yellow card solely after VAR arrived.
The second half had an identical theme because the Colombian referee awarded two penalties to Ecuador to reverse each choices after evaluate. The second penalty was in harm time, and Alison bought a second yellow, which was additionally cancelled.
“I was sent to play for Liverpool, I touched the ball outside the penalty box,” Alisson mentioned. “In such situations you should not complain, you should accept the decision of the referee. I am glad that there is VAR now. If we did not do this, we would be punished unfairly for these situations. In both the moments I just went for the ball. And I touched the ball, that’s obvious.”
Brazil have been enjoying with out injured star Neymar.
Argentina 2, Chile 1
“The best player in the world didn’t come, our coach didn’t come, we had COVID cases, spent hours at the airport … and we won,” Argentine winger Angel Di Maria mentioned after victory in Chile. extra; The sport was performed at an altitude of about 2,300 meters (1.4 mi) above sea stage.
Lionel Messi is recovering from COVID-19 and has not performed. But the veteran Di Maria was livid through the first half. He scored the opening aim within the ninth minute with a rocket from the sting of the field, leaving the Chileans much more tense about lacking out on Qatar.
Chile leveled the scoring 11 minutes later with a header from English-Chilean striker Ben Brereton, who put the ball softly the place goalkeeper Emiliano MartÃnez couldn’t attain.
Lautaro MartÃnez calmly put the winner behind the web for Argentina within the thirty fourth minute after Chilean goalkeeper Claudio Bravo failed to dam a shot from Rodrigo de Paul.
Argentina was much less intense within the second half, however Chile failed to attain within the many alternatives they created.
Argentina coach Lionel Scoloni didn’t journey to Chile as he was nonetheless testing optimistic for the coronavirus. Two assistant coaches, Walter Samuel and Roberto Ayala, led the staff to the match in Calama.
,
With inputs from TheIndianEXPRESS
