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SAO PAULO: 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 workforce will qualify to play in Qatar if it beats Peru subsequent week.
Chile, as soon as a drive within the area, noticed its possibilities shrink dramatically after a 2-1 house loss to second-place Argentina. The Chileans must pull good outcomes at Bolivia and Brazil, with their final match within the competitors prone to be in Santiago towards bitter rival Uruguay.
Uruguay rose again to competition after a 1-0 win at Paraguay, with a aim by veteran Luis Surez. It was the workforce’s first win for brand spanking new coach Diego Alonso, who took over after veteran scar Tabrez was fired on account 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, which can conflict in Barranquilla, Colombia, on Friday, are at 17 factors. Chile has 16 and may very well be overtaken by Bolivia (15), which can journey to Venezuela the one workforce within the area out of competition for a spot.
South America has 4 direct World Cup spots, and the fifth-place workforce will play a global playoff for a berth.
ECUADOR 1, BRAZIL 1
Ecuador drew at house towards Brazil to spice up its possibilities of qualifying in a sport that noticed two gamers despatched off and quite a few main refereeing choices overturned by video assessment.
Casemiro opened the scoring by tapping into an empty internet within the sixth minute for Brazil 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.
However it was Colombian referee Wilmar Roldan who drew probably the most consideration by getting a sequence of key choices overturned after VAR with Brazil goalkeeper Alisson being proven a purple card twice solely to have each rescinded.
Roldan didn’t even whistle for a foul when Ecuador goalkeeper Alexnder Dominguez planted his studs into the neck of Brazil striker Matheus Cunha as he challenged for a ball on the fringe of the realm within the sixteenth minute. After a VAR assessment, Dominguez was handed a straight purple card.
Brazil defender Emerson Royal was then handed a second yellow within the twentieth minute and Alisson appeared to turn out to be the third participant despatched off 10 minutes later after additionally hitting an opponent within the head together with his leg after a clearance. Nonetheless, Roldan modified his thoughts and solely confirmed a yellow card after VAR stepped in.
The second half had an identical theme because the Colombian referee awarded two penalties to Ecuador solely to reverse each choices after a assessment. The second penalty was in damage time and concerned Alisson getting a second yellow, which was additionally rescinded.
I used to be despatched off taking part in for Liverpool, I touched the ball exterior the penalty field, Alisson stated. In conditions like that you shouldn’t complain, it is best to settle for the referee’s resolution. I’m pleased there’s VAR now. If we didn’t, we might be penalized unfairly for these conditions. In each moments I solely went for the ball. And I touched the ball, that’s clear.
Brazil was taking part in with out injured star Neymar.
ARGENTINA 2, CHILE 1
The most effective participant on this planet didn’t come, our coach didn’t come, we had COVID instances, spent hours on the airport … and we gained, Argentina winger ngel di Maria stated after the victory in Chile, He might have stated extra; the sport was performed at about 2,300 meters (1.4 miles) above sea degree.
Lionel Messi is recovering from COVID-19 and didn’t play. However the veteran di Maria was on fireplace in the course of the first half. He scored the opening aim within the ninth minute with a rocket from the sting of the field, making the Chileans much more tense about lacking out on Qatar.
Chile leveled the scoring 11 minutes later with a header by English-Chilean striker Ben Brereton, who softly put the ball the place goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez couldn’t attain.
Lautaro Martinez netted the winner for Argentina within the thirty fourth minute, calmly placing it into the again of the web after Chile goalkeeper Claudio Bravo didn’t cease a shot by Rodrigo de Paul.
Argentina was much less intense within the second half, however Chile failed to attain within the a number of alternatives it created.
Argentina coach Lionel Scaloni didn’t journey to Chile as a result of he was nonetheless testing optimistic for the coronavirus. Two assistant coaches, Walter Samuel and Roberto Ayala, led the workforce for the match in Calama.
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Extra AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports
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