Perú Aprovecha la Debilidad de Uruguay para Lograr Su Primer Triunfo en el Camino hacia el Mundial 2026.
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Peru Revives with a Dramatic 1-0 Victory Over Uruguay in Lima
Peru returned to life with a nail-biting 1-0 win against Uruguay in Lima on Friday, showcasing the worst performance from La Celeste in a South American qualifying campaign dominated by Argentina at the top of the standings.
A late goal from defender Miguel Araujo ignited euphoria among the Peruvian fans, marking their national team’s first victory in this qualifying round at the end of the ninth matchday.
This win lifted Peru from the bottom of the table, placing them second to last with six points, while Uruguay continued to slide in their quest for the World Cup.
The Celeste has now gone three matches without a win, following draws against Paraguay and Venezuela in the previous double-header, during which they lost several key players to suspensions.
Adding to their struggles, controversy arose this week from comments made by Luis Suárez, the all-time leading scorer for the Uruguayan national team, who retired from international duty in September. He criticized the approach of coach Marcelo Bielsa in managing relationships within the squad and among the Celeste's support staff.
Bielsa stated that the controversy had "no" impact on the team's performance, which he described as "generous." In the post-match press conference, he remarked, "I believe what happened during the week does not condition or explain how we played."
The ninth matchday underscored the competitive balance in the middle of the standings, with Argentina firmly at the top with 19 points after a 1-1 draw against Venezuela.
With Lionel Messi on the field but notable absences like goalkeeper Emiliano 'Dibu' Martínez and defender Cristian 'Cuti' Romero, the reigning world champions silenced Maturín with a goal from Nicolás Otamendi in the 13th minute. However, Venezuela equalized with a header from their star forward Salomón Rondón.
Despite the draw, Venezuela, now in seventh place, gained a crucial point against the world champions.
Brazil also secured a 2-1 victory against Chile in Santiago, bouncing back from an unusual streak of four losses in five qualifying matches.
Chile, after their loss to Peru, remains at five points and now sits at the bottom of the table.
In El Alto, Bolivia stunned Colombia, handing them their first defeat in the qualifiers. Midfielder Miguel Terceros scored a stunning goal in the 58th minute, dribbling past two Colombian defenders and rekindling hope among Bolivian fans for a World Cup appearance.
Despite the defeat, Colombia remains in the top three with 16 points, while Bolivia occupies the sixth spot, the last position for direct qualification to the North American World Cup.
In Quito, Ecuador played to a disappointing goalless draw against Paraguay, accumulating 12 points to sit fifth, while Paraguay holds eighth place with ten points.
Match Results from the Ninth Round:
Thursday:
- Bolivia 1 - 0 Colombia (El Alto)
- Ecuador 0 - 0 Paraguay (Quito)
- Venezuela 1 - 1 Argentina (Maturín)
- Chile 1 - 2 Brazil (Santiago)
Friday:
- Peru 1 - 0 Uruguay (Lima)
Current Standings:
| Position | Team | Points | Matches | Wins | Draws | Losses | GF | GC | GD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Argentina | 19 | 8 | 6 | 1 | 1 | 13 | 5 | 8 |
| 2 | Colombia | 16 | 9 | 4 | 4 | 1 | 9 | 6 | 3 |
| 3 | Uruguay | 15 | 9 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 13 | 6 | 7 |
| 4 | Brazil | 13 | 9 | 4 | 1 | 4 | 11 | 9 | 2 |
| 5 | Ecuador | 12 | 9 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 6 | 4 | 2 |
| 6 | Bolivia | 12 | 9 | 4 | 0 | 5 | 11 | 15 | -4 |
| 7 | Venezuela | 11 | 8 | 2 | 5 | 2 | 7 | 8 | -1 |
| 8 | Paraguay | 10 | 9 | 2 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 3 | -1 |
| 9 | Peru | 6 | 9 | 1 | 3 | 5 | 3 | 10 | -7 |
| 10 | Chile | 5 | 9 | 1 | 2 | 6 | 5 | 14 | -9 |
Note: Ecuador started the qualifying campaign with a three-point deduction due to the improper inclusion of Byron Castillo in the 2022 World Cup qualifiers.
Upcoming Matches:
10th Matchday, Tuesday, October 15:
- Colombia vs. Chile (Barranquilla, 20:30 GMT)
- Paraguay vs. Venezuela (Asunción, 23:00 GMT)
- Uruguay vs. Ecuador (Montevideo, 23:30 GMT)
- Argentina vs. Bolivia (Buenos Aires, 00:00 GMT Wednesday)
- Brazil vs. Peru (Brasilia, 00:45 GMT Wednesday)
This article was produced by AFP. For more information, visit AFP.com.