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| Thursday, October 18, 2001 22:03 EST |
Ecuador on verge of first berth
[Reuters]
LA PAZ, Bolivia -- Ecuador hammered Bolivia 5-1 on Saturday to put itself on the brink of a first appearance at the World Cup finals.
Five players shared the goals as Ecuador handed Bolivia its first home defeat in a World Cup qualifier since 1985, when it was beaten by Brazil, and its first in high-altitude La Paz since 1981.
Ecuador, which has 29 points from 16 games, stayed third in the South American qualifying group. The Bolivians are level on points with Paraguay and pulled five points clear of Brazil and Uruguay, who both play on Sunday.
The top four teams qualify and the fifth plays off against
Oceania winner Australia. Bolivia, whose World Cup chances had
already evaporated, stayed eighth in the 10-team group with 14
points from 16 games.
Ecuador has two games to play, and a win at home against Uruguay next month would guarantee it a World Cup berth. A draw will be enough if the Uruguayans fail to beat Colombia at home in Sunday's match.
Right-back Ulises de la Cruz fired Ecuador ahead with a low shot following a free kick in the 13th minute.
Agustin Delgado added a second in the 23rd minute with his ninth goal of the qualifiers as Bolivia claimed offside. Then Bolivia had defender Marcelo Carballo sent off for a sliding tackle on de la Cruz.
Ecuador's dominance grew and the team was rewarded in the 58th minute when Ivan Kaviedes scored the third following a defensive blunder by Ronaldo Raldes.
Bolivia pulled a goal back on the hour through Gonzalo Galindo, but a 90th minute goal by Angel Fernandez and an injury time effort from substitute Luis Gomes, who came on seconds earlier, added to the visitors' joy.
Brazil on rebound with shutout of Chile
CURITIBA, Brazil -- Brazil revived their
chances of qualifying for next year's World Cup after struggling
to a 2-0 win over Chile in a tense qualifier.
Second-half goals from Edilson and Rivaldo gave the four-
time champions three priceless points after they had struggled
to break down a massed Chilean defense.
Brazil, in danger of losing their record as the only country
to have played at every World Cup, remained in fourth place in
the South American group with 27 points. The top four teams
qualify and the fifth play off against Oceania winners
Australia.
The Brazilians were given a helping hand when Uruguay, level
on points with them at the start of the day, drew 1-1 at home
against Colombia.
They have two games left, away to Bolivia at high altitude
in La Paz and at home to modest Venezuela.
Argentina draw prevents Paraguay from qualifying
ASUNCION, Paraguay -- Gabriel Batistuta, playing his
first international for almost a year, scored the equalizer as
Argentina forced a 2-2 draw away to Paraguay in a World Cup qualifier.
Paraguay goalkeeper Jose Luis Chilavert fired his team in
front when he converted a 51st minute penalty, his fourth of the
tournament.
Defender Mauricio Pochettino equalized for Argentina in the
67th minute with what Paraguay claimed was handball before
Gustavo Morinigo headed the home team back in front three
minutes later.
Batistuta, who had a quiet game, pounced on a rebound to
settle the game in the 74th minute.
Paraguay, who would have qualified for the World Cup if they
had won, remained second in the South American group with 30
points and still seemed set to make Japan and South Korea.
Argentina, who have already qualified, moved onto 39 points
and made sure of finishing top of the group.
Surprising Venezuela wins yet again
SAN CRISTOBAL, Venezuela -- Three players were sent off as South American soccer minnow Venezuela continued its unprecedented winning run by beating demoralized Peru 3-0 in a World Cup qualifier on Saturday.
Although both teams are far out of the running for a place at next year's World Cup, the match was a stormy affair with several scuffles between players and a flurry of cards, which reduced the visitors to nine men and Venezuela to ten.
Venezuela, which had only won two World Cup qualifiers in 35 years of trying before the current tournament, chalked up its third successive win and moved off the bottom of the ten-team table.
After conceding 40 goals in its first 13 matches of the current tournament, the Venezuelans also kept a clean sheet for the third time in a row.
The pendulum swung when Peru defender Miguel Rebosio was sent off for kicking an opponent at the end of an evenly balanced first half.
Venezuela's Miguel Mea Vitali had a penalty saved by goalkeeper Miguel Miranda just after halftime but in the 49th minute defender Wilfrido Alvarado headed the first goal after a corner as the Peruvian defense stood and watched.
Alvarado scored again in the 67th minute with an almost replica effort from another corner. The celebrations ended in a skirmish and Venezuela's Juan Arango was sent off.
Peru substitute Ernesto Arakaki was dismissed three minutes
later for a tackle from behind, and Ruberth Moran completed
Venezuela's biggest-ever World Cup qualifying win by turning the
ball in from close range in the 78th minute.
Uruguay, Colombia dent each other's chances
MONTEVIDEO, Colombia -- Uruguay and Colombia dented each other's chances of qualifying for the World Cup finals when they drew 1-1.
Federico Magallanes gave Uruguay a first-half lead from a
penalty, a result which would have ended Colombia's chances of
making next year's finals in Japan and South Korea completely.
But the visitors kept alive a mathematical chance of
qualifying for their fourth successive World Cup when Arnulfo
Valentierra scored with a long-range shot midway through the
second half.
Uruguay stayed fifth in the South American group with 25
points from 16 games, two behind fourth-placed Brazil, while
Colombia are sixth with 21. Both teams have two games to play.
Uruguay now appear likely to finish fifth and face Oceania
region winners Australia in a two-leg play-off. Only the top
four teams qualify directly for Japan and South Korea.
Colombia will have to win their last two games and hope for
slip-ups by Brazil or Uruguay.
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