Chilean press: “What did the national team do to the world to deserve so much cruelty?”

The Chilean team lost to Ecuador in San Carlos de Apoquindo for the Qualifying Qatar 2022. In a duel that had everything, the newspaper La Tercera was more incisive and described the result as a “apocalypse“And also stated that there were”black magic”In the game that could practically leave ‘La Roja’ out of the World Cup, since the next rivals are very complicated: Argentina (local), Bolivia in La Paz, Brazil as away and close against Uruguay.

In a text entitled “Chile suffers an apocalypse in San Carlos”, the newspaper La Tercera outlined the following: “A dark force. Black magic or simple bad luck. Explanations are sought for a gloomy night in San Carlos de Apoquindo. What did the Chilean team do to the world to deserve so much cruelty in 90 minutes? If Estupiñán’s goal at nine was bad, Vidal’s expulsion at 13 was already a tragedy. Nothing could be worse in such an important qualifying match. But then came Mena and Alexis’ injuries! It cannot be, fate was primed. A nightmare. A key clash, against a direct rival in the race to go to Qatar 2022, without Sánchez, King Arturo and Charles Aránguiz ”.

Ecuador took the lead in the early stages and took advantage of the early expulsion of Arturo Vidal to achieve an unprecedented 2-0 victory on Tuesday in his visit to Chile, thus extending their lead in the direct qualifying zone for the World Cup.

Pervis Estupiñán scored in the 9th minute, crowning a play that Ángel Mena made with a marvelous advance down the right side and a long cross. Gary Medel tried to move away with his head, but the ball came to the steering wheel of Villarreal, who had time to control in the vertex of the area and defined with a crossed cannon that beat goalkeeper Claudio Bravo.

Vidal aggravated the predicament of the hosts at 13 minutes, with a karate kick to the chest of Félix Torres, on a black night for La Roja at the San Carlos de Apoquindo Stadium. The injuries led to the departure of Mena at 28 minutes and Alexis Sánchez at 36.

When Chile was desperately looking for a draw, Ecuador mounted a wonderful team play, culminating with a pass from Ayrton Preciado for Moisés Caicedo to sentence the duel with a low shot.

Ecuador, which had never won a qualifying match in Chile, is third in the table, after reaching 23 points, six above Colombia, which has for now the last direct ticket to Qatar. Also with 17 march Peru, which would advance to the intercontinental playoffs if the tie concluded today.

With 16 units Chile was stuck, who had revived but is again in the elimination zone, as sixth, after the painful setback at home.