South American Qualifiers: Venezuela Remains in the Fight and Will Go All Out Against Chile
Players fight for the ball during the match between Venezuela and Brazil, Nov. 14, 2024. EFE
November 15, 2024 Hour: 12:48 pm
The Venezuelan team is tied with Bolivia in 7th place, which gives it the right to play the play-off.
Venezuela remains in the fight to qualify for its first World Cup after drawing 1-1 in a duel against Brazil at the Monumental de Maturin stadium, home of the Vintotinto team in the South American qualifiers.
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Despite having seven games in a row without winning in the current qualifying round for the 2026 North American World Cup, the Venezuelans will go all out on the 12th date of the qualifiers against the Chilean team. With a goal scored by one of its most promising young players, midfielder Telasco Segovia, the Vinotinto team tied 1-1 at home with the five-time world champions on Thursday, on the eleventh day.
Venezuela has been reducing its margin of error, while ‘direct rivals’ for the places at stake are growing and gaining ground in the league table, such as Paraguay, coached by Gustavo Alfaro, who had the pleasure of beating Argentina, the current world champion, 2-1.
The Venezuelan team, coached by Argentine Fernando ‘Bocha’ Batista, reached 12 points, which means it is tied with Bolivia in seventh place, which gives it the right to play the play-off.
Argentina leads the table with 22 points and, pending the results of this Friday’s matches, is followed by Colombia, with 19; Brazil, with 17; and Uruguay, Ecuador, and Paraguay, with 16 each. These are the six teams that currently occupy the places for direct access to the 2026 World Cup.
The Goal of Dreams
A smiling Segovia told the press in the mixed zone that he had dreamed the night before the match he scored against Brazil.
“It’s crazy! I’m very happy. I told the boys: I dreamed of scoring a goal,” said the 21-year-old midfielder, a player for Casa Pia of Portugal, after the match played at the Estadio Monumental de Maturin, where Venezuela is undefeated in the qualifiers.
“The reality was better than the dream. We got a draw and we’re going to Chile for the victory to continue dreaming of what we want most, which is to qualify for the World Cup,” said Segovia.
The attacking midfielder scored in the 46th minute, opening his account with the senior team, assisted by Jefferson Savarino. He had just 50 seconds on the field after coming on as a substitute in the second half.
Brazil had taken the lead in the 43rd minute with an unstoppable free kick from Raphinha, in a match in which Vinicius Jr missed a penalty, blocked by goalkeeper Rafael Romo in the 62nd minute.
“You always have that bittersweet taste that we could have done something more, but the way the game turned out we could have lost it too, so it’s a very valuable draw,” said assistant coach Leandro Cufre, who was on the bench in place of Batista, who was suspended for one match due to yellow cards. “Telasco came in very well, like the rest, with a great attitude.”
The text reads, “Vinotinto Heroica! Venezuela tied 1-1 with Brazil in the South American qualifiers. In a disputed game, Telasco Segovia scored a golazo and Rafa Romo stopped a penalty from Vinicius Jr. Venezuela played the last minutes with 10 players after the expulsion of Alexander Gonzalez.“
Under Observation
Absent against Brazil due to being suspended for an accumulation of warnings, Yeferson Soteldo will be back in the match against Chile. Midfielder Cristian Casseres Jr, in contrast, is out for the same reason.
It is not clear whether two of the midfield mainstays of the Vinotinto, Yangel Herrera and Jose ‘El Brujo’ Martinez, who had to leave the field due to injuries, will be able to play. “We are going to evaluate them and we hope it is nothing serious,” said Cufre.
Martinez was optimistic about his options: “I’m fine… I’m going to play if the coach wants.” Venezuela’s last World Cup qualifying win was against Chile, which it defeated 3-0 in October last year with goals from Soteldo, Salomon Rondon and Darwin Machis.
teleSUR/ JF Source: teleSUR