Argentina, Chile stumble again

MONTEVIDEO - Argentina and Chile solved nothing in their respective bids for World Cup qualification after the South American heavyweights stumbled again on Tuesday.

Argentina needed a second-half own goal to help it snatch a 1-1 draw against already-eliminated Venezuela in Buenos Aires while Chile crashed to a 1-0 loss against Bolivia in La Paz.

The results left 2014 World Cup finalist Argentina and reigning Copa America champion Chile outside of the automatic qualifying places and sets up a nail-biting final two rounds of matches next month.

Argentina sits fifth in the standings with 24 points from 16 games while Chile is sixth with 23 points.

Argentina - which would face a playoff against New Zealand if it remains fifth - hosts fourth-place Peru next month in Buenos Aires before an awkward final high-altitude match in Ecuador.

Chile will face Ecuador in Santiago on Oct 5 before heading to Brazil for its final qualifier five days later.

At the top of the standings, Brazil has already qualified and assured itself of first place.

The Brazilians picked up another point on Tuesday with a 1-1 draw against third-place Colombia in Barranquilla.

A spectacular volleyed goal from Willian gave the Brazilians the lead on the stroke of halftime before Colombia clawed back with a battling second-half display capped by a brilliantly headed equalizer from Radamel Falcao.

In Buenos Aires, Argentina coach Jorge Sampaoli admitted his team had blown a golden opportunity to force itself into the automatic qualifying places following Chile's loss earlier in the day.

Sampaoli blamed poor first-half finishing for his side's failure to take all three points against the Venezuelans.

"We have two games left against Peru and Ecuador and we need to win both of them," Sampaoli said.

"We had three chances to score in the first half and everything could have been settled. We must continue to fight on the attack and give strength to the players."

Chile coach Juan Antonio Pizzi echoed Sampaoli's sentiments after watching his side slide to a dispiriting loss in La Paz.

"We will fight, we will make the greatest effort possible, because we believe we have the ability to compete with the best," said Pizzi.

"We know it will not be easy, but we will try to obtain the results that allow us to qualify.

Although Chile faces difficult challenges against Ecuador and Brazil, Pizzi said his side had not lost hope.

"There are two matches left, I'm going to fight and my players are going to fight, with all the force we have," said the coach.

Meanwhile, relentless Uruguay moved to the brink of qualification with a typically combative 2-1 triumph over neighboring Paraguay in front of a raucous crowd in Asuncion.

Agence France-presse

(China Daily 09/07/2017 page23)