Qualifications – Brazil, first braking: only 0-0 in Colombia. Ecuador and Peru ko

Qualification to Qatar 2022 ever closer for Brazil, which however interrupts the clear path in Colombia. The verdeoro did not go beyond 0-0 in Barranquilla in a challenge that saw four “Italians” as protagonists, three of which from the start (the Neapolitan Ospina and the Juventus players Danilo and Alex Sandro). One time on each side, with Brazil wasting good opportunities at the start of the match and at the end. In between, an insidious and combative Colombia. The most surprising results, however, come from La Paz, where Lapadula’s Peru falls short despite the numerical superiority in the final minutes, and from Caracas, where Venezuela overturns the initial disadvantage by knocking Ecuador 2-1.

Colombia-Brazil 0-0

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Tite finds Neymar after the day of disqualification against Venezuela and Seleçao regains pace and play, at least in the first 45 ‘. In fact, in the first part the PSG ace literally does what he wants by moving between the lines and, thanks to the freedom granted by the home defense, he can inspire his teammates (as at 12 ‘, when he puts Paquetà in front of Ospina) or go directly to the conclusion (powerful right from the edge to 5 ‘). Colombia struggled to put together two passes and resigned themselves to defending en masse close to their own area. But the script changes radically in the second half, thanks to a Colombia that changes pace and raises the center of gravity, playing all out with the inputs of Zapata and Borré to give new vigor to the attack. Yet Alisson is called into question only once (big left from Quintero’s distance in the 65th minute) before the foreseeable green-gold return in the final. the Seleçao is no longer able to look out from the parts of Ospina for a good half hour, until the fireball of the newcomer Raphinha (77 ‘) which rekindles the final. Raphinha’s wit and electricity combined with Antony’s freshness – both inside in the last half hour – revive Tite’s troop, who nearly took the lead in the 77th minute with a great shot from the Leeds center forward and in the 86th minute with a deviation acrobatic of the Ajax winger, stopped by a reactive Ospina.

The others

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After the step forward a few days ago, the result of the well-deserved success over Chile, Gareca’s Peru makes two big leaps backwards, remedying a knockout that risks costing dearly in terms of qualification. Without the mitigation of the over 3,000 meters of La Paz, Blanquirroja indulges in a slow throw-in game without ever being able to trigger Lapadula, the owner for the occasion but replaced after 67 ‘without infamy and without praise. The best occasions, except for a start of the guests after half an hour with Coste and Lopez (always attentive Lampe), are from Bolivia, with Algaranaz, Martins, Saucedo, but the necessary precision is always lacking. Peru does not wake up even when the hosts remain outnumbered for the red trimmed to Henry Vaca (76 ‘). On the contrary, Bolivia took the prize for a match dominated from start to finish thanks to a great shot by Ramiro Vaca, who scored the winning goal in the 83rd minute. Like Peru, Ecuador also wastes a great chance, having the opportunity to consolidate third place in the standings. Instead, Alfaro’s “Tri” slides into Caracas against the rear of the Eliminatorias and does so after taking the lead thanks to a Valencia penalty awarded after the intervention of the Var. To blow the bank was bad luck ( Torres ‘pole in the 75th minute), the haste (Estrada’s clamorous mistake with an empty net in the 78th minute) and above all the plays of the talented Bello, who served Machis the equalizer (45’) before personally signing the overtaking in the 65th ‘with a masterful punishment.