Bolivia's Edge: The Conmebol Eliminatorias Mystery

Bolivia and Peru have a long history of facing off against each other in the CONMEBOL World Cup Qualifiers. In their most recent match in November 2023, Bolivia defeated Peru 2-0, with goals from Henry and Ramiro Vaca. This victory allowed Bolivia to move up to ninth position in the Qualifiers, while Peru fell to last place. Bolivia's win marked their first victory in the 2026 World Cup qualifiers, while Peru continued their losing streak. The two teams have had mixed fortunes in recent years, with Bolivia struggling to emerge from a soccer crisis and Peru capturing the fifth-place spot for the 2022 World Cup intercontinental playoff.

Bolivia's superior performance in the 2026 World Cup qualifier match

Team Selection and Tactics

Bolivia's Brazilian coach, Antonio Zago, implemented effective tactics despite having no practice matches to prepare. The inclusion of players like Henry Vaca, Ramiro Vaca, Roberto Fernández, and Carmelo Algarañáz contributed to a well-rounded team. Henry and Ramiro Vaca, in particular, played pivotal roles in the victory.

Strong Start and Clinical Finishing

Bolivia began the match strongly, with Henry Vaca scoring the opening goal in the 19th or 20th minute, giving his team an early lead. This early goal put pressure on Peru, who had to chase the game from an early stage. Ramiro Vaca's goal in the 87th minute, just three minutes from the end of regulation time, sealed the victory for Bolivia.

Solid Defence and Counterattacking

Bolivia's defence, led by goalkeeper Guillermo Viscarra, stood firm against Peru's attacks. Viscarra made a crucial save just before halftime, denying Gianluca Lapadula's header. Bolivia also effectively countered Peru's attacks, taking advantage of spaces in the Peruvian defence.

Home Advantage

Playing at the Hernando Siles stadium in La Paz gave Bolivia a significant home advantage. The stadium is located at a high altitude of 3,637 meters (11,932 feet) above sea level, which can be challenging for visiting teams.

Historical Context

Bolivia had a historical scorer, Marcelo Martins Moreno, playing his last game for the national team. This added emotion and motivation to the Bolivian side, as they sought to give their veteran player a memorable send-off.

In summary, Bolivia's victory in the 2026 World Cup qualifier against Peru was a result of a combination of factors, including effective team selection, strong start, solid defence, counterattacking strategy, home advantage, and the added motivation of bidding farewell to a legendary player. This win marked a significant moment for Bolivia in the 2026 World Cup qualifiers.

Bolivia's first victory in the 2026 World Cup qualifiers

Going into the match, both sides were desperate for a win to boost their chances of climbing the table. Bolivia had been struggling for years, with no draws or victories in the qualifiers, and had recently fired their coach, Gustavo Costas. Brazilian Antonio Zago made his official debut as Bolivia's new coach in this match. Meanwhile, Peru was also seeking their first win in the qualifiers and needed a victory to stay in contention.

The game started in favour of Bolivia, with Henry putting them ahead in the 19th minute. Bolivia maintained their lead throughout the first half, despite a header from Gianluca Lapadula that was saved by Bolivian goalkeeper Guillermo Viscarra. In the second half, Peru came out determined to equalise, but Bolivia countered effectively, taking advantage of spaces in Peru's defence. The match remained tense until the final minutes when Ramiro Vaca secured Bolivia's victory with a second goal just before the end of regulation time.

With this win, Bolivia achieved its first three points in the 2026 World Cup qualifiers and took a step towards improving their football crisis. On the other hand, Peru's loss deepened their troubles, putting coach Juan Reynoso's job at risk. The victory also marked a significant moment for Bolivian scorer Marcelo Martins Moreno, as it was his last game as a professional footballer.

Bolivia's win against Peru was a crucial turning point in the 2026 World Cup qualifiers, boosting their morale and giving them a chance to climb up the table.

Peru's poor performance and position in the 2026 World Cup qualifiers

Peru's performance in the 2026 World Cup qualifiers has been poor, to say the least. In fact, their performance has been so poor that they found themselves in last place in the Conmebol Qualifiers.

In the fifth round of the South American qualifier, Peru suffered a 2-0 defeat to Bolivia, which saw them drop to the bottom of the table with just one point. This poor performance could cost coach Juan Reynoso his job.

Peru's last few matches have not gone well, with a string of losses and no wins. They lost 0-2 to Argentina, 0-1 to Brazil, 0-2 to Chile, and drew 0-0 with Paraguay.

In their match against Bolivia, Peru barely put any pressure on the Bolivian defence. Although they started the second half determined to equalise, they left some spaces in defence that allowed Bolivia to counterattack.

Peru's poor performance in the 2026 World Cup qualifiers has left them in a difficult position, and they will need to turn things around quickly if they want to qualify for the World Cup.

Bolivia's first victory against Peru in the 2023 qualifier match

On the 16th of November 2023, Bolivia achieved its first victory in the 2026 World Cup qualifiers by defeating Peru 2-0 at the Hernando Siles stadium in La Paz. This was the fifth round of the South American qualifier. Bolivia's willingness to attack paid off as Henry Vaca scored the first goal in the 20th minute, with Ramiro Vaca adding a second in the 87th minute. This result lifted Bolivia out of last place in the Conmebol Qualifiers, leaving Peru in the bottom spot.

Bolivia's victory was a significant boost to their qualifying campaign, giving them their first three points. Peru, meanwhile, were left in a state of crisis, with coach Juan Reynoso's position under threat. This match also marked the final game for Bolivia's historic scorer Marcelo Moreno, who had announced his departure prior to the fixture.

In the lead-up to the game, both teams were in desperate need of a win to climb the standings. Bolivia had been struggling for years, failing to register any draws or victories in the qualifiers prior to this match. As a result, the Bolivian Football Federation (FBF) dismissed coach Gustavo Costas and appointed former Brazilian footballer Antonio Zago. Peru, on the other hand, had suffered several defeats and needed a win to stay in contention.

The game itself saw Bolivia dominate, with Peru barely putting pressure on the Bolivian defence. The Peruvian team made substitutions in the second half, sending on historic forward Paolo Guerrero, but they were unable to find an equaliser. Bolivia's second goal, scored by Ramiro Vaca, was validated by VAR in the closing minutes of the game.

Bolivia's coach Antônio Carlos Zago's tactics

Antônio Carlos Zago, the coach of Bolivia's national football team, is a 54-year-old Brazilian who took over from Argentine coach Gustavo Costas in 2023. Zago had a successful career as a player, winning the Italian league in 2000/2001 with Roma and being part of the legendary São Paulo team that won the CONMEBOL Libertadores in 1992. He also started in five out of six matches for the team coached by Vanderlei Luxemburgo, which became champions in the 1999 CONMEBOL Copa América Paraguay.

As a coach, Zago gained experience in Brazil, Japan, and Bolivia before taking the helm of the Verde in 2023. He made his official debut against Peru, with a 2-0 victory that secured Bolivia's first win in the qualifiers for the 2026 FIFA World Cup. Zago's tactics seem to focus on reinforcing the midfield and counterattacking, as seen in Bolivia's match against Peru, where he sent in Moisés Villarroel to reinforce the midfield after Peru advanced their ranks.

Zago's outstanding performance with Bolívar, where he won the Bolivian championship in 2022 and achieved 71% of possible points in 75 matches, opened the door for him to coach the Verde. He has expressed pride in representing Bolivia and is determined to help the team add points and improve their position in the World Cup qualifiers.

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