November 18, 2024, 16:21 PM
November 18, 2024, 16:21 PM
Chile and Venezuela face each other this Tuesday in Santiago in a match of disparate realities in the 2026 World Cup qualifiers, in which Vinotinto keeps alive the dream of its first classification and La Roja seeks to hold on to the goal, at least through a play-off .
The Chilean team occupies the last place with 6 points out of a possible 33 and needs a victory over the Venezuelans who have 12 and occupy precisely seventh place, which gives access to the play-offs.
Both teams come from tying on the previous date. Chile went goalless against Peru in Lima, which represented the first point for Argentine coach Ricardo Gareca since he came to the bench.
Venezuela drew 1-1 with Brazil, a result without precedent in home games against Canarinha in World Cup qualifiers.
“It’s going to be very difficult. “Venezuela is doing very well, emotionally they are going through a very good moment and they are fighting to get into a World Cup for the first time and they are going to be very optimistic as they are showing,” Gareca considered.
The support that both teams receive also reflects their realities. The Venezuelans maintain their hope of a first World Cup qualification and demonstrated it with a massive reception at the Santiago airport and selling out the almost three thousand tickets sold to the rival for the National Stadium.
La Roja fans seem skeptical and distant about the possibility of qualifying. Ticket sales do not exceed 15,000 in a total supply of 45,000.
“I can’t ask people for anything more. He has always supported us. Now we have to give results to the people so that they can believe,” commented the Chilean coach.
Against Vinotinto it will be the third game that Gareca directs at home. They are still in debt because they already lost 1-2 against Brazil and Bolivia. The result with the Green team was the most painful, since the Red team had never lost to this rival at home.
Arturo Vidal, 37 years old, who has just become champion with Colo Colo, will be the axis and captain. Chile would only have one change with respect to the eleven used against Peru, with the entry of right back Fabián Hormazábal to replace the suspended Felipe Loyola.
Argentine coach Fernando Batista will have three important losses. First, the Spanish Girona midfielder Yangel Herrera, who left prematurely from the last match against Brazil.
Nor will he be able to count on the suspended Cristian Cásseres Jr. and Alexander González who received yellow and red cards, respectively, against the Brazilians.
Midfielder José Martínez, another of the key players for Venezuela, had been a doubt after leaving the last game with physical problems, but the Brazilian Corinthians player assured the Venezuelan press that he is available.
– Probable alignments:
Chile: Brayan Cortés; Fabián Hormazábal, Guillermo Maripán, Benjamín Kuscevic, Thomas Galdames; Felipe Loyola, Rodrigo Echeverría; Darío Osorio, Diego Valdés, Víctor Dávila; Eduardo Vargas.
Coach: Ricardo Gareca.
Venezuela: Rafael Romo; Jon Aramburu, Rubén Ramírez, Nahuel Ferraresi, Miguel Navarro; Tomás Rincón, José Martínez; Darwín Machís, Jefferson Savarino, Yeferson Soteldo; Salomón Rondón.
Coach: Fernando Batista.
