The Venezuelan soccer team remembered old times in the South American qualifiers. They fell 4-2 in Santiago against a Chile that came last and mortgaged the 2026 World Cup dream.
The team led by the Argentine Fernando “bocha” Batista came to this match with the mission of hitting the table. He needed to win to be alone in seventh place, which gives access to the playoffs, but once again victory eluded him in a momentous duel and there are now eight games in a row without victories.
La Vinotinto started impetuously with a Golden Jefferson Savarino at minute 13. The southern team tied and Rubén Ramírez returned the advantage to the visiting team with a great goal at 22′, but from then on the team disappeared from the field and added its fourth defeat of the pre-world championship.
Deflated
The start of the game for Venezuela was a dream. At 13′ they were already leading 1-0 with Savarino’s goal, after a great play by Yeferson Soteldo, who scored the assist.
However, at 20′ the tie came through Eduardo Vargas, who took a shot from the right after only receiving the ball that Lucas Cepeda crossed from the left wing and who walked throughout the Venezuelan area without anyone rejecting him.
La Vinotinto was able to recover from the blow with a great goal from Rubén Ramírez in the 22nd minute. The central defender took a shot that slipped into the corner of goalkeeper Bryan Cortés to make it 2-1 for the visit.
At 29′ a goal against Tomás Rincón returned equality to the scoreboard and ended up displacing Venezuela in the match. Vicente Pizarro reached the end line and gave the pass to Gabriel Suazo so that he could take the shot that the vinotinto captain ended up deflecting.
At 38′ the poor performance of the Venezuelan defense was confirmed with a great goal from Lucas Cepeda. Eduardo Vargas received on the edge of the area and unloaded with his teammate, who hung the ball in the right corner of Rafael Romo’s goal for the 3-2 with which they went to halftime.
At the beginning of the second half, Chile maintained its dynamic in which it took advantage of all the concessions of the Venezuelan team. Cepeda received the ball, drove with time and space to take a shot from outside the area for 4-2 at 47′, which ended up burying the vinotinto hope.
Coach Fernando Batista tried to turn the match around with several modifications, but his attempts were in vain. At 55′ he took out Rincón and brought on Jhon Murillo.
Later in the 71st minute, “bocha” brought out Salomón Rondón, who was disappointing for the second consecutive game, Savarino and Jon Aramburu, who also added a game with negative performance for the second day in a row. Erick Ramírez, Kervin Andrade and Nahuel Ferraresi entered their places, but the damage had already been done.
“Tuti” Andrade was the only one who could generate some danger with a shot from outside the area, which went to the side of Cortés’ goal. At 87′ the strategist made one last modification in which Jhonder Cádiz entered for Miguel Navarro, but it was only decoration.
It is worth noting that at 90+2′ Chile had a goal by Luciano Cabral disallowed for offside.
Lost defense
It is worth remembering that in the triple qualifying round of the current World Cup, defense was Venezuela’s main virtue. In six games, only three goals were allowed (all on the road) and in part that contributed to the nine-point harvest that sowed hope in the fans.
However, the balance in 2024 is quite the opposite. La Vinotinto received 12 points in six games and, added to the attacking problems, the result was that the team saved only three points out of 18 in dispute, leaving them with 12.
The national team will finish 2024 out of qualifying positions (eighth), one point behind seventh place (repechage), held by Bolivia. It should also be noted that a direct pass to the World Cup seems increasingly distant, as Paraguay (sixth) has 17 points.
In March the South American qualifiers resume and Venezuela is obliged to get as many points as possible from the 18 that will be at stake next year, in addition to linking adverse results at least from Bolivia (which has three games pending in its new house, El Alto).
If they manage to maintain the negative streak with Ecuador (in Quito) and Peru (at home), La Vinotinto would be on the verge of another process in which the first senior world championship is just an illusion.
Puerto La Cruz / Javier A. Guaipo
#Vinotinto #remembered #times #fell #Chile #mortgaged #World #Cup #dream
What were some of the reasons behind Venezuela’s loss to Chile?
## Interview with Soccer Expert on Venezuela’s Rough Loss
**(Host)**: Welcome back to the show. Today, we have soccer expert, [Guest Name], here to talk about Venezuela’s disappointing loss to Chile in their World Cup qualifier. [Guest Name], thanks for joining us.
**[Guest Name]** : It’s a pleasure to be here.
**(Host):** Venezuela was hoping for a win to solidify their chances for a playoff spot. What happened out there?
**[Guest Name]:** This was a harsh reality check for Venezuela. They came out strong, scoring early through Savarino, and even briefly went ahead thanks to a great goal from Rubén Ramírez. However, defensive lapses and a lack of consistency ultimately cost them. Chile capitalized on those errors, scoring four goals and burying Venezuelan hopes.
**(Host):** The article mentions eight games without a win now. What are some key factors contributing to this slump?
**[Guest Name]:** A combination of issues seem to be plaguing Venezuela right now. Their defense is clearly struggling, letting in crucial goals at key moments. There also seems to be a lack of cohesion and tactical awareness in midfield. They’ve relied heavily on individualism, which hasn’t been enough against stronger opponents.
**(Host):** What about coach Fernando Batista’s strategy? Did anything stand out in your eyes?
**[Guest Name]:** Batista made some substitutions trying to spark a comeback, but it felt like too little, too late. The damage was done by halftime. It’s clear he’s trying to find the right combinations, but right now, the team lacks the confidence and consistency needed to execute his plans.
**(Host):** What does this loss mean for Venezuela’s World Cup dreams?
**[Guest Name]:** This loss is a major setback. With eight games without a win, their chances of qualifying directly or even through playoffs are looking increasingly slim. They need a major turnaround to salvage anything from this qualifying campaign.
**(Host):** Is there any glimmer of hope for Venezuelan fans?
**[Guest Name]:** There’s still time, but they need significant improvement. Some young players showed promise, like Kervin Andrade, who at least tried to create opportunities. They need to rediscover their defensive solidity and find a way to control the midfield if they want to salvage anything positive from these qualifiers.
