The Venezuelan soccer team suffered a painful 4-0 defeat against Bolivia on Thursday at the El Alto Municipal Stadium, in a match corresponding to the seventh date of the South American qualifiers for the 2026 World Cup.
The Vinotinto team did not perform well in the challenge played at almost 4,100 meters above sea level (masl) and suffered its second defeat in the pre-World Cup.
Now the team led by Argentine Fernando “Bocha” Batista will have to shake off the dust after the heavy fall and get up to face Uruguay, next Tuesday, September 10, at the Monumental stadium in Maturín, Monagas state.
Unanswered
From the start of the match, Venezuela was seen to have no response on the pitch, despite Batista having fielded a team with seven players who are undisputed starters. The only new additions were Daniel Pereira, Telasco Segovia, Jhonder Cádiz and Jhon Murillo (of the four, this was the only one who was not in the Copa América).
The rest of the eleven had important players for La Vinotinto, such as captain José Salomón Rondón, goalkeeper Rafael Romo, defenders Nahuel Ferraresi, Yordan Osorio, Jon Aramburu and Miguel Navarro; as well as first-line midfielder José Andrés “Brujo” Martínez.
However, it seems that the altitude had a greater effect than the coaching staff expected, as the tricolor team looked erratic in all facets of the game. Despite a slightly different face in the second half with the entry of Yeferson Soteldo and Darwin Machís, the dynamic remained as Venezuela left Bolivia with four goals to its name.
So many Bolivians
Ramiro Vaca opened the scoring for the Altiplano team in the 13th minute, with a shot from outside the area that the Venezuelan goalkeeper was unable to stop.
Despite the home side’s continued efforts, they were unable to break through Romo’s goal. However, a defensive error on a corner kick caused the main referee Wilmar Roldán to whistle a penalty in favour of Bolivia, which was effectively awarded by Carmelo Algaranaz at the end of the first half.
The Vinotinto conceded two goals “in the locker room”, since, in addition to that shot from the 12 steps in the final moments of the first 45 minutes, they were added to the goal they conceded just after the second half began. Miguel Terceros was the author of the goal that ended up deciding the match with the entire second half still to go.
The hosts paced their game and at times waited for Venezuela to get on their own turf to counterattack, which allowed them to have several clear opportunities that were repeated by Romo.
However, in the 89th minute the icing on the cake came for those led by Óscar Villegas, when Enzo Monteiro scored the final 4-0.
Turn the page
La Vinotinto must quickly turn the page to face Uruguay on Tuesday and seek the three points at all costs. Another defeat would be another cold shower for a team that between October and November must face Argentina and Brazil at home, as well as Chile and Paraguay away.
With four more matches to play in the seventh round of qualifying, Venezuela remains fourth with nine points, although the goal differential is now -1. The balance after seven games is two wins, three draws and two losses.
The other matches of the day are: Argentina vs Chile (today), Uruguay vs Paraguay, Brazil vs Ecuador and Peru vs Colombia (all this Friday, September 6).
Puerto La Cruz / Javier A. Guaipo
#Venezuela #suffered #painful #defeat #Bolivia #Alto
2024-09-06 11:51:07
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Venezuela Suffers Crushing 4-0 Defeat to Bolivia in World Cup Qualifiers
The Venezuelan national soccer team, also known as La Vinotinto, suffered a painful 4-0 defeat against Bolivia on Thursday at the El Alto Municipal Stadium, in a match corresponding to the seventh date of the South American qualifiers for the 2026 World Cup.
A Lackluster Performance
The Vinotinto team failed to impress in the high-altitude match, played at almost 4,100 meters above sea level, and suffered its second defeat in the pre-World Cup. The team led by Argentine coach Fernando “Bocha” Batista looked erratic in all facets of the game, despite having seven undisputed starters on the pitch.
Captain José Salomón Rondón, goalkeeper Rafael Romo, defenders Nahuel Ferraresi, Yordan Osorio, Jon Aramburu, and Miguel Navarro, as well as midfielder José Andrés “Brujo” Martínez, were all part of the starting lineup. However, the altitude seemed to have a greater effect than expected, and the team’s performance was lackluster.
Bolivia Takes Control
Ramiro Vaca opened the scoring for Bolivia in the 13th minute, with a shot from outside the area that Rafael Romo was unable to stop. Despite Bolivia’s continued efforts, they were unable to break through Romo’s goal until a defensive error on a corner kick led to a penalty, which was converted by Carmelo Algaranaz at the end of the first half.
The Vinotinto conceded two goals just before halftime, and another goal just after the second half began, with Miguel Terceros scoring the goal that all but decided the match. Bolivia paced their game, waiting for Venezuela to get on their own turf to counterattack, which allowed them to have several clear opportunities that Romo was able to stop.
The Final Whistle
The icing on the cake came for Bolivia in the 89th minute, when Enzo Monteiro scored the final goal to make it 4-0.
Turning the Page
La Vinotinto must quickly turn the page to face Uruguay on Tuesday and seek the three points at all costs. Another defeat would be another cold shower for a team that between October and November will have to face tough opponents like Brazil and Argentina.
Coaching Concerns
Fernando Batista’s coaching decisions will be under scrutiny after this defeat. The team’s performance was below par, and the changes made during the game did not have the desired impact. Batista will need to regroup and come up with a new strategy to face Uruguay and get back on track in the World Cup qualifiers.
Road to Recovery
Venezuela’s road to recovery begins on Tuesday against Uruguay at the Monumental stadium in Maturín, Monagas state. The team will need to put this defeat behind them and focus on securing three crucial points to stay in contention for a World Cup spot.
Keywords: Venezuela, Bolivia, World Cup Qualifiers, La Vinotinto, Fernando Batista, José Salomón Rondón, Rafael Romo, Uruguay, South American Qualifiers, 2026 World Cup.
Meta Description: Venezuela suffered a crushing 4-0 defeat to Bolivia in the World Cup qualifiers. Read on to find out what went wrong and what lies ahead for La Vinotinto.
Header Tags:
H1: Venezuela Suffers Crushing 4-0 Defeat to Bolivia in World Cup Qualifiers
H2: A Lackluster Performance
H3: Bolivia Takes Control
H3: The Final Whistle
H3: Turning the Page
H3: Coaching Concerns
H3: Road to Recovery
Optimized Images:
Image 1: Venezuela’s national team logo
Image 2: Fernando Batista, Venezuelan national team coach
Image 3: José Salomón Rondón, Venezuelan national team captain
Image 4: Rafael Romo, Venezuelan national team goalkeeper
Image 5: Bolivia’s national team logo
Internal Links:
[Link to previous article on Venezuela’s World Cup qualifiers]
[Link to related article on South American World Cup qualifiers]
External Links:
[Link to FIFA’s official website for World Cup qualifiers]
[Link to CONMEBOL’s official website for South American World Cup qualifiers]
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