By Nicholas Poblete/Staff Writer
In the last round of South American qualifiers, three teams secured their spot for the 2018 World Cup in Russia, while Peru must face a double-legged play-off round against New Zealand for the World Cup.
On Tuesday, all 10 South American teams played simultaneous matches to avoid controversy or any hint of match fixing. The five simultaneous matches all had a direct impact on one team or another.
Brazil was the only team going into the last fixture that qualified for the World Cup with 38 points. The Brazilian’s hosted Chile in the Allianz Parque on the last match day. The Chilean team went into the game with 26 points. A win for Chile would secure a World Cup berth, a tie and a loss against the Brazilians would force the Chileans to depend on a combination of results elsewhere.
The Brazilian’s steamrolled past the Chileans, defeating them by a score line of 3-0. Brazil finished the qualifiers with 41 points. Chile, with its 26 points, now had to depend on other teams to carry them to Russia.
Uruguay went into the final match with 28 points to ensure at least a playoff position. The Uruguayans hosted the eliminated Bolivian team that had scraped up 14 points before the match.
Uruguay handled business in their legendary Estadio Centenario defeating the Bolivians 4-2. Uruguay secured its spot for this summer’s World Cup with 31 points, landing them second in the South American Football Confederation.
Paraguay hosted an eliminated Venezuelan side. Venezuela went into the game with nine points. Paraguay had a grim scenario. With 24 points, Paraguay had to defeat Venezuela and hope that Colombia, Peru, Chile or Argentina would not win.
The match was played in Paraguay’s Defensores del Chaco stadium. In front of its own people, Paraguay lost 0-1 to Venezuela and lost any hopes of a participation in the World Cup. Paraguay concluded its participation with 24 points and Venezuela with 12 points.
In one of the most important matches of the night, an eliminated Ecuador, with 20 points, hosted Argentina. The match was played in Ecuador’s Estadio Olímpico Atahualpa. Argentina, with 25 points, went into this game in dire need of a win.
Thanks to a Lionel Messi hat trick, Argentina defeated the Ecuadorians 3-0. Earning 28 points, Argentina now had to wait on other results to see where it would place.
“I felt a sense of utter relief. [It] definitely helped me sleep easier at night because we were so close to not qualifying for the World Cup. It was a miracle we made it,” Micaela Rodriguez, an international relations senior, said. “I believe that Messi single-handedly won Argentina a spot in the World Cup. Messi is the definition of a perfect player.”
In another crucial match, Peru hosted Colombia in its Estadio Nacional. Peru with 25 points and Colombia with 26 points went into the match knowing that a win for either would allow them to at least enter the 5th place play-off spot. A tie for either would force them to depend on other results.
Peru and Colombia played to a 1-1 tie. Both teams were now forced to rely on other results.
Controversy struck when cameras captured Colombia’s Radamel Falcao talking to the Peruvian players. Falcao, covering his mouth, was presumed to be telling the Peruvian players that the current score of 1-1 was enough for both teams to qualify, after finding out that Chile was losing against Brazil. The game ended in a draw.
“We are still alive,” Juan Malaga, a junior majoring in mechanical engineering, said. “This is the closest that I’ve seen Peru to a qualifying spot in my lifetime.”
“I am psyched that Colombia has secured their spot in the World Cup,” President of FIU men’s soccer club, Giovanni Montenegro said. “I know many Colombians who are thrilled and can’t wait till next summer comes around.”
After all five consecutive games were played, the South American region now has its selected few who will represent the continent in Russia.
Brazil qualified first, with 41 points. Uruguay qualified second, with 31 points. Argentina qualified third, with 28 points. Colombia qualified fourth, with 27 points. Fifth-place Peru, with 26 points, will play New Zealand in November for a World Cup spot.
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