Uruguay vs. Bolivia (3-0): summary and goals of the 2026 Qualifiers match | VIDEO

Uruguay remained second to world champion Argentina in the South American qualifiers for the 2026 World Cup by beating Bolivia 3-0 in Montevideo on Tuesday on the sixth round, and celebrated the return of its historic scorer, Luis Suárez.

The English Liverpool striker Darwin Núñez scored two goals for La Celeste, at 15 and 71 and the remaining one was an own goal by the Bolivian Gabriel Villamil, at 39.

With this victory, Uruguay reached 13 points and was two behind Argentina, which later achieved a historic victory over Brazil 1-0 at the Maracaná and continues to lead with 15 points.

One minute after scoring his second goal against La Verde and his fifth in the tie, Darwin Núñez left the field for ‘Pistolero’ Suárez to enter and the Centenario stadium exploded with emotion.

Suárez, 36, had played his last game with the Celeste in the 2-0 victory against Ghana in the 2022 World Cup in Qatar in the first round, when Uruguay was eliminated, and he was recently summoned by Marcelo Bielsa for this double date of the tie, eleven months later.

The approach of both teams was clear from the beginning: the locals with their advanced lines and the Green with a super populated midfield and only one forward, the historic scorer Marcelo Moreno Martins, in his farewell match for the Bolivian team.

Before 10 minutes Uruguay warned twice: first, a corner header from defender Ronald Araújo was just missed and then Darwin Núñez crossed a shot that grazed the post.

The light blue team looked mobile, circulating the ball with precision and seeking penetration into the last rival zone with dribbles and combinations. At 13, Federico Valverde missed it with the goal practically unguarded.

The fourth time was the charm: at 15 Araújo enabled Facundo Pellistri, who went deep like the old Uruguayan leaders and put the pass back for Darwin Núñez, who opened the scoring. It was the fourth goal in a row for the Liverpool striker, who had already scored against no less than Argentina and Brazil on the previous dates, as well as against Colombia in Barranquilla.

Bolivia could not leave its zone, and Moreno Martins was waiting upstairs, alone, for a ball to reach him, a miracle that did not occur.

Uruguay, calm with the advantage and dominance of the actions, did not accelerate. Bielsa, in contrast, did not stop walking near the demarcation line of the field, crouching from time to time, as usual.

The 55,000 spectators who populated the Centenario expected more local goals.

The second fell at 39, after a corner taken by Nicolás de la Cruz. Bolivian goalkeeper Viscarra’s clearance hit the head of his teammate Gabriel Villamil and the ball was slowly introduced into the visiting goal.

All we had to do was wait for the second half, the moment perhaps most anticipated by the local public: the return of La Celeste’s historic scorer, Luis Suárez.

– Bang, bang –

As soon as the final part began, the audience began to chant the name of ‘Pistolero’.

Suárez moved to the side of the field while his teammates played.

Another overflow by Pellistri after clearing a defender almost culminated in the third Uruguayan goal, at 50. Three minutes later, Cristian Olivera tried from outside the area: it couldn’t be either.

The match, already defined, could only be saved by Suárez’s entry, which finally occurred in the 72nd minute, immediately after Núñez’s second goal, this time with a header.

When Núñez gave way to ‘Pistolero’ the applause was double.

Suárez was active, and was about to leave his mark again after two minutes of regulation time. The crossbar prevented him from doing so.

The substitution, at the end of the match, of Moreno Martins, which meant his retirement from La Verde, was also recognized by teammates and rivals, as well as by Bielsa and the local public.

When questioned by local television at the end of the game, Suárez said that “there is Luis until he gives”, affirmed that he is assuming a new role in the national team, greeted his very probable successor, Darwin Núñez (“one of the best strikers in the world”) and congratulated Bielsa, who he said “is doing a very good job with young people.”

WHEN DOES URUGUAY PLAY VS. BOLIVIA

The duel for the sixth date of the 2026 World Cup Qualifiers between Uruguay and Bolivia will be played this Tuesday, November 21, 2023 at the Centenario stadium.

MATCH SCHEDULES URUGUAY VS. BOLIVIA

The match between Uruguay and Bolivia is scheduled to be played starting at 6:30 p.m. (Peruvian time). We leave you the schedules of other countries so you don’t miss this important match.

• Mexico: 5:30 p.m.
• Ecuador: 6:30 p.m.
• Colombia: 6:30 p.m.
• Bolivia: 7:30 p.m.
• Venezuela: 7:30 p.m.
• Chile: 8:30 p.m.
• United States: 8:30 p.m.
• Argentina: 8:30 p.m.
• Paraguay: 8:30 p.m.
• Uruguay: 8:30 p.m.
• Brazil: 8:30 p.m.

CHANNELS TO WATCH URUGUAY VS. BOLIVIA

The match between Uruguay and Bolivia on date 6 of the South American Qualifiers will be broadcast on the DIRECTV Sports channels for the entire ‘Charrúa’ territory, while in Bolivia, the signal enabled to broadcast the match is that of Tigo Sports. Also, you can follow the minute by minute on the DT El Comercio website.

WHERE TO WATCH URUGUAY VS. BOLIVIA ONLINE

In order to watch the online broadcast of the match between Uruguay and Bolivia online via free streaming, you will have to create an account with DGO, NS Eventos, FBF Play and Movistar Play.

FORMATIONS, URUGUAY VS. BOLIVIA

Uruguay: S. Rochet; R. Araujo, J. Giménez, S. Cáceres and M. Olivera; M. Ugarte, F. Valverde, N. De la Cruz; F. Pellistri, D. Núñez and M. Araújo.

Bolivia: Guillermo Viscarra, Diego Bejarano, Jairo Quinteros, Adriano Jusino, José Sagredo, Luis Haquín, Gabriel Villamil, Luciano Ursino, Jaime Arrascaita, Moisés Villarroel, Victor Abrego, Marcelo Moreno Martins

URUGUAY VS. BOLIVIA: BETTING

The long South American qualifying round, which will be played until September 2025, already on the fifth date left Peru facing the uncertainty of an early elimination if it does not urgently right the course.

Henry Vaca scored the first goal in the 20th minute and Ramiro Vaca increased it in the 87th for La Verde, sending Peru to last place in the table with 1 point.

The Altiplano team, with its new coach, the Brazilian Zago, added its first three points and generates new enthusiasm although Bolivia will have to fight until the end.

Peru has not yet overcome the departure of Ricardo Gareca under whose command it qualified for the 2018 World Cup in Russia after 36 years of absence, and it has not achieved a replacement for figures such as the historic scorer Paolo Guerrero, still in shape but at 39 years old.

Some 61,000 euphoric souls await the Celeste on Tuesday (23H30 GMT) in the mythical Centenario to face Bolivia, where an overwhelming Uruguay is expected, which aims to finish 2023 as the sole leader of the South American World Cup.

And after the feat in La Bombonera, the first victory of the Celeste on Argentine soil in the South American qualifiers, added also to the victory (2-0) against Brazil in Montevideo on the fourth date, the least that is expected is a Centennial to bursting.

The team led by Bielsa, who for the first time chained victories against their classic rivals and neighbors in the same tie, deserves it.

Messi himself recognized “the hand of the coach” in Uruguay’s new model, a strategically designed and ordered team, which develops the offensive game well and polished its traditional Uruguayan grit with tactical intensity.