Repechage Conmebol-Asia: this is how the continent looks at the definition for the quota to Qatar 2022

Many crossed their fingers that the rival in the continental playoff of Conmebol is the team of Oceania. However, the FIFA draw determined that the fifth of the Conmebol Qualifiers they face their Asian counterpart for a place in Qatar 2022. In the last series, for Russia 2018, Peru, fifth in South America, faced the winner of the oceanic tie.

Without a doubt, with the Playoffs Not yet started and with the clear favorite New Zealand, Oceania represents the most accessible rival for any confederation. Now the Conmebol you will have to look at Asia to define your opponent. Today, the fifth of Asia could be Australia, Japan or United Arab Emirates, while the fifth in South America, for now is Peru.

In this Journal we collected the opinions of colleagues from different countries fighting for a World Cup quota. Today the Qualifying Qatar 2022 They are very tight, many teams still have options to qualify directly. But we drew on four analyzes from four countries directly involved.

For Javier Carbonell, from Noticentro 1CM & Bogotá, Colombia, the selection South American to dispute the repechage he will have a certain favoritism, but he will have to face the series very carefully. “The play-off does not favor the interests of South Americans, who, although they will be favorites, will have to be very careful with their opponents”, tells us. Let us remember that today Colombia occupies the fourth place of the Playoffs, which would be qualifying directly to the World Cup.

“The team that goes to South America is going to have to face this confrontation with responsibility, respect and care because everything has changed. Everything has been equated and now there is a one-game contest that makes it more dangerous, more unpredictable and that gives the weakest opponent more options “says Carbonell.

In a similar way, Enrique Arrillaga of El País de Uruguay thinks, a country that has had to play several playoffs in the last Qualifiers and that, in fact, is the only one that has faced an Asian rival. “He played the most difficult of rivals, because I consider that South American football is above Concacaf and obviously that of Oceania. With Asia is more closely matched. It will be very hard, especially in a single party, to kill or be killed “, tells us.

Despite the complexity, Enrique hopes that the country of Conmebol pass the repechage. “Anyone is in a position to fight for the classification, I don’t know if they are as favorite as before because Asia grew up and you shouldn’t neglect yourself at all”, sentence.

For Manuel de Tezanos, journalist for TNT Sports de Chile, the country of our confederation has to surpass the Asian one. “Any South American team that wants to play a decent role in the World Cup has to win the playoffs against Asia. South American football is above so it should prevail. I’m not saying it’s easy, but you can do it “, he assures.

The Peruvian look is not very different from it. Today Peru is in fifth place, a place that leads to the playoffs. In fact, the Bicolor classified Russia in this way, beating New Zealand. Daniella Fernández, from Movistar Deportes, says that the game will be more than complicated. “”, tells us.

For Edward Alva, host at Gol Peru, the fact that only one game is played equates everything. “The issue of favoritism is left aside. A single game allows the team that feels less football to speculate. He does not come out with the obligation to win ”, he assures. That makes “this playoff more complicated than the previous ones”.

For Daniel Kanashiro, from DirecTV Peru, it is a much more complicated playoff, but he emphasizes that it is better than facing that of Concacaf. “That is good news.”, assures respect. Meanwhile, on the crossing before Asia expect South America to prevail. “Any Conmebol team is capable of passing it, I don’t know if with difficulty or not, but in a cross between South America and Asia, the Conmebol team will always be the favorite”; tells us.

Thus, the repechage for South America He changed course and the one who corresponds will have to measure himself against a new reality. Asia has grown, but even this part of the continent must maintain its supremacy in these clashes.