Bolivia Secures Playoff Spot Contention with Tense Victory Against Chile

Bolivia maintained their slim chances of reaching the FIFA World Cup finals for the first time since 1994 with a convincing 2-0 victory against bottom-placed Chile in the CONMEBOL qualifiers.

The team, managed by Oscar Villegas, got off to an ideal start when the ever-reliable Miguelito netted his sixth goal in the last eight World Cup qualifying matches. He finished off a well-placed delivery from Diego Medina, demonstrating finesse with a first touch that eluded Benjamín Kuscevic, allowing him to calmly slot the ball into the top corner from just six yards out at the Estadio Municipal de El Alto.

Despite Chile captain Alexis Sánchez’s attempts to rally his side, the home team came closer to extending their lead just 13 minutes into the match. A powerful header from Diego Arroyo met a corner but struck the junction of the post and crossbar.

Things seemed to be going smoothly for La Verde until a significant mistake from Lucas Chávez interrupted their momentum in the 15th minute. Initially booked for a dangerously high boot on Fabián Hormazábal, the referee upgraded his yellow card to a red after a VAR review.

Despite this setback, Chile failed to capitalise, with the first half closing out after some well-saved shots from Gabriel Villamíl and Rodrigo Echeverría.

Any momentum the visitors gained was extinguished just ten minutes into the second half when Uruguayan referee Esteban Ostojich equalised the player count.

Francisco Sierralta, who came on during the half-time break, was promptly sent off for a reckless challenge on Robson Matheus.

Chile’s goalkeeper, Brayan Cortés, narrowly avoided adding to their woes when he fumbled the ensuing free-kick, managing to reclaim the ball before any Bolivia players could take advantage.

In the 65th minute, the hosts posed a threat again as they passed the ball to Roberto Fernandez on the left. However, he hesitated and ended up feeding the ball into the hands of Cortés, when he had better options available in the centre.

Victor Davila, who also entered the fray at half-time, was causing issues for the Bolivian defence but was met with frustration at every turn, encapsulating his team’s struggles in the thin air of El Alto.

Hope for the visitors vanished completely in stoppage time when substitute Enzo Monteiro scored after Cortés couldn’t hold onto Miguelito’s shot.

This victory places Bolivia just a point behind Venezuela, who currently hold the Intercontinental playoff position ahead of their crucial match against Uruguay. The defeat marks the third consecutive World Cup qualifying campaign that Ricardo Gareca’s Chile will miss out on the finals.