FIFA decides on Friday, June 10, if Ecuador should be disqualified from the 2022 World Cup or not — all in the context of a formal complaint filed by Chile questioning the nationality of defender Byron Castillo.
It's not common to see a player crying and asking his coach to sub him out after committing a penalty kick. But that's how life is going for Byron Castillo, the man who could potentially result in Ecuador getting kicked out of the 2022 World Cup.
After a mediocre qualifiers campaign on the field, Chile is now trying to get a spot in the next World Cup through a legal maneuver that will see Ecuador missing the tournament.
The Chilean soccer federation filed an official claim asking FIFA to investigate if Ecuador fielded an ineligible player in a series of games of the last CONMEBOL qualifying process, which ended a month ago.
The player named in the complaint is Byron Castillo. His sin? According to the Chilean accusation, he is not Ecuadorian but Colombian.
Los ruidos subterráneos dicen que Matías Almeyda habría renunciado a la banca del San Jose Earthquakes y que su futuro empezaría con Chi.
El rumor surgió apenas terminó el partido en que los Earthquakes igualaron con Nashiville SC (2-2) y que hundió al equipo californiano en el último lugar de la conferencia oeste de la MLS. De acuerdo al insider Tom Bogert "ambas partes están listas para separar sus caminos" y que se trabaja en un acuerdo para hacerlo oficial.
With a 2-0 victory over Paraguay in Lima on Tuesday night, Peru clinched fifth place in CONMEBOL World Cup qualifying and a spot in the inter-confederation playoffs, knocking out sixth-place Colombia and seventh-place Chile in the process. This marks the end of the road for a couple memorable generations of players for Los Cafeteros and La Roja.
No shaky legs, no big mistakes to regret. Perú beat Paraguay 2-0 and secured fifth place in CONMBEBOL qualifiers on Tuesday night, earning the ticket for an intercontinental World Cup playoff against Australia or the United Arab Emirates.
Perú just needed five minutes to take away the pressure thanks to Italian-born Gianluca Lapadula. El Bambino finished gracefully an exquisite assist from Christian Cueva and started the celebrations accross the whole nation.
Uruguay and Ecuador secured the last two CONMEBOL direct tickets to the 2022 World Cup on Tuesday, joining already qualified Brazil and Argentina. The only thing left up for grabs now on the continent is the slot in the inter-confederation playoff against AFC (Asia). Those in contention are Perú, Colombia and Chile.
Last stop in the CONMEBOL qualifiers, and there are still a few spots for the 2022 World Cup up for grabs. Brazil and Argentina are already on the plane, while Ecuador, Uruguay, Perú, Chile and Colombia are still fighting for two direct tickets and one inter-confederation playoff slot.
What do they need to fulfill their dreams? Here we have a guide with the results that could send them to Qatar.
The final major international window before the World Cup begins Monday and lasts through early next week with crucial matches being contested across UEFA, CONMEBOL, Concacaf, CAF, AFC and OFC. We'll know 29 of the 32 competing nations in Qatar after this period, with only the inter-confederation playoffs (two spots) and a delayed European playoff final (one spot) to go.
Here it's a pill hard to swallow: Concacaf doesn't have the monopoly on absurdity. Sorry. Other confederations also have a fair share of the industry, and they are not shy when it is time to demonstrate it.
And yes, we are looking at you, CONMEBOL.
Thursday night there were three games in the South American qualifiers, and all of them brought goals, emotions but also a good amount of WTF moments.
You don't have time; I don't have time, so let's go to the point.