Another week off from league games only meant one thing: the international break. While many European countries had exhibition matches, South Americans returned home to resume playing competitive games to have a chance of going to the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.
The Good: Uruguay 3-0 Colombia
La Celeste made up for their 4-2 defeat against Ecuador last international break.
Uruguay’s Edinson Cavani was the first to score in the first five minutes of the match. A lack of communication by Colombia’s Yerry Mina saw the ball change in possession. Nahitan Nández took the ball to the arch of the penalty area before passing the ball to Cavani. Without wasting any time, Cavani took one touch on the ball that went right underneath a slide tackling Mina and into the right side of the net.
In the 54th minute, Uruguay would earn a penalty after a poor attack on the ball by Colombia’s Jeison Murillo. Luis Suárez went to the penalty spot and put the ball in to increase his country’s lead. La Celeste’s final came around the 73rd minute by Darwin Núñez. After Colombia’s pass back to its defense, who couldn’t get the ball, the ball was back in possession of the Uruguayans. Lucas Torreira passed to Núñez who had plenty of space around him to run the ball up the field. From distance, Núńez sent the ball straight into the left side of the net.
The Bad: Peru 0-2 Chile
It’s always painful to lose to your rivals, especially when it depends on qualifying to the biggest sporting event in the world. It’s even more painful watching your team not have the same energy they had in their last qualifying match against Brazil, despite losing 4-2.
Arturo Vidal was the star of Friday night’s game, as he scored both of Chile’s goals. His first came in the 20th minute after Jean Meneses saw him with no Peruvian defenders around him. Making a quick pass, Vidal took one touch to control the ball, and a second to shoot it in the upper right corner of the goal. Not even Peru goalkeeper Pedro Gallese moved to block the ball.
Fifteen minutes later, Arturo Vidal scored off a rebound. Fabian Orellana crossed the ball in the penalty box that was intended for Felipe Mora. While Mora did get his head on the ball, it deflected off of Peru’s Luis Advincula. Vidal was ready for the rebound and made a clinical finish. Despite Peru having decent chances in the second half to close the lead, they couldn’t find the back of the net.
The Ugly: Venezuela 0-1 Brazil
La Vinotino’s chances of qualifying for the World Cup is getting smaller and smaller as they’ve been defeated in all three games so far.
While the first half was fairly quiet, aside from Richarlison scoring early in the match but was offside, the lone goal of the match came in the 67th minute by Roberto Firmino. Éverton Ribeiro crossed the ball into the penalty area for Renan Lodi but was marked by Venezuelan defenders. This was no problem, as the rebounded ball went towards the Liverpool star and got a touch on the ball to put in the back of the net.
