Argentina finally managed to secure a place for themselves in the finals to be held in South Africa next year.
It was a turbulent match in which they defeated their neighbors Uruguay by 1-0 on Wednesday. Mario Bollati’s strike in the 85th minute confirmed the fourth place for Argentina which had been in doldrums under Maradona’s leadership.
After Argentina became the fourth team to qualify for the finals, Maradona wept, hugging his coaching staff and hurling insults at the media.
So Brazil, Chile and Paraguay are the four teams which will represent South America for the finals to be held in South Africa next year.
Uruguay which was the team to end fifth in the South American group of ten teams will have another opportunity via a two legged playoff with Costa Rica. The playoff dates to qualify for the World Cup, are 14th and 18th of November..
Ecuador had great chances of qualifying on Wednesday, but a 1-0 defeat by Chile quashed their hopes. Humberto Suazo’s goal left them in the 6th position with 23 points, just 1 point behind Uruguay.
Brazil topped the group with 34 points. But the last match with Venezuela in Campo Grande, lacked the usual luster as it ended in a draw without any goals.
Paraguay scored 33 points. They lost 2-0 to Colombia. Gustavo Ramos and Rodallega
scored during the last half hour. They ranked third after Chile on goal difference.
While Argentina was fourth with 28 points. Had they lost to Uruguay coupled with a
win with Ecuador, Argentina would have missed a chance of qualifying for the
finals, for the first time since 1970 .
The playoff draw will be held at FIFA Headquarters on Monday the 19th of October. The participating teams will be seeded by football ranking, the results of which will be announced on the 16th of October.