Pereiro changes Ecuador’s hopes of qualifying
Uruguay grabbed a last-gasp victory before returning when Gaston Pereiro enthusiastically dispatched the Estadio Campeón del Siglo.
If a game feels like you can’t lose, that’s it and these two countries know they will see a draw, that they will both retain their place in the automatic World Cup qualifiers in the CONMEBOL zone. As expected, what followed was a nervous start, with neither side trying hard to find a start or taking risks.
In a superb stop-start affair, it was difficult for both sides to find a rhythm, which was also underlined by the fact that there were no shots on goal in the first half.
With Ecuador positioned as the second most prolific team in the qualifiers so far, they knew there was a chance in the second half to crack the odds against the two-time world champions. The prospect of a seismic shock is still fresh in the minds of Ecuadorians. and Gonzalo Plata decided to take matters into his own hands, missing Uruguay’s last three challenges before cautiously withdrawing his effort.
As the first real moment of quality play, the Uruguayan Plata flop looked pressing and both sides started looking for him in search of a prelude. His fine footwork in Federico Valverde’s box opened it up from yards to set up a cross that accidentally landed on the woodwork and Pedro Ortiz saved the red.
The desire for a point seems common to these two countries. Uruguay took all three points with the death, however, as Nahitan Nandes’ pass, which stabbed him in the lung, reached the bayline and fired a distracting ball into the box which Pereiro headed to secure all three points to secure third place for Uruguay last night.
