Chile loses at Bolivia and will miss third straight World Cup
Chile will miss its third straight World Cup after losing 2-0 at Bolivia on Tuesday to remain last in South America's 10-team round-robin competition.
Bolivia kept its hopes alive for an inter-continental playoff spot in a bid to reach the 2026 tournament in the United States, Mexico and Canada.
The top six teams in South American qualifying will secure direct berths in the World Cup. Defending champion Argentina has already qualified.
Chile's golden generation won two Copa America titles — in 2015 and '16 — but is out of contention for next summer's expanded 48-team tournament.
'Sad, I am feeling bad. Never lived something like this. We have to ask people to forgive us,' veteran Chile striker Alexis Sánchez said after the match. 'We have to keep working. There's change already, the golden generation is buried, I am the only one left.'
Bolivia scored the first with Miguel Terceros in the fifth minute and added a second in the 90th with Enzo Monteiro at the 4,150-meter high El Alto Stadium, outside La Paz.
The hosts now have 17 points to put pressure on Venezuela, which has 18 and will play later at Uruguay. Both are fighting for seventh place, which secures the inter-continental playoff spot. Sixth-place Colombia has 21 points.
Ecuador can clinch its spot with a win later at Peru. Brazil and Paraguay, who will clash in Sao Paulo, can also book their tickets if they win and Venezuela loses in Montevideo.
Also on Tuesday, Argentina hosts Colombia.
Bolivia's future will be decided in September at Colombia and at home against Brazil.
___
AP soccer:
https://apnews.com/hub/soccer
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Fox Sports
33 minutes ago
- Fox Sports
Late miscues cost Phil Mickelson a shot at the weekend in his 34th - and maybe last
Associated Press OAKMONT, Pa. (AP) — By the time Phil Mickelson reached the 18th green at Oakmont on Friday evening, the once-packed grandstand was maybe a quarter-full. Same for the luxury suites. There was no grand gesture as the 54-year-old Mickelson loped up the hill. No wave to the crowd the way Arnold Palmer did in the same spot on the same course 31 years ago. No lengthy standing ovation from the gallery in return either. The man whose decades-long pursuit of the U.S. Open made him a fan favorite in his prime — not unlike Palmer in some ways — instead quietly marked his ball 16 feet from the hole, then walked over to the far edge of the green and stared at the leaderboard that glowed in the rainy twilight. A birdie would have let Mickelson stick around for the weekend at his 34th — and perhaps last — trip to the national championship. Wearing a white hat featuring the logo of his LIV Golf team, the HyFlyers GC, Mickelson stood over the line trying to get the right read. When the putt slid a foot left of the hole to keep Mickelson one outside the cut at plus-8, a small groan arose from those who stuck around. There was a shout or two of 'We love you Phil!' Along the railing, a man leaned toward a friend and said, "His exemption is done. No more U.S. Open for you Phil.' Maybe, maybe not. The five-year exemption into the tournament that Mickelson received when he captured the 2021 PGA Championship is expiring. Whether he'll be back to make a run at the one major that has eluded him is anyone's guess. Mickelson sure isn't saying. He politely declined to talk to reporters after emerging from the scoring area, disappearing into the clubhouse and an uncertain future at a tournament where he's been a runner-up six times. There are a number of ways for Mickelson to make it to Shinnecock next June. The USGA could offer him an exemption, as it did at Torrey Pines in 2020, though that doesn't appear to be USGA chief championship officer John Bodenhamer's first choice. 'I think the way that we would also think of Phil is we hope he earns his way in, and I think he'd tell you the same thing,' Bodenhamer said Wednesday. "That's what he did last time. We gave him one and then he went out and won the PGA Championship. So wouldn't put it past him.' Mickelson became the oldest major champion ever when he triumphed at Kiawah in 2021 at age 50. A lot has happened since then. Both on the course and off it. The man known universally as 'Lefty' played a major role in LIV Golf's rise, a move that has taken a bit of the shine off of his popularity back home. And while Mickelson's game can still show flashes — he really did knock a sideways flop shot into the hole during a LIV event last week in Virginia — and he looks fitter now than he did two decades ago, the reality is the swashbuckling approach that once endeared him to so many doesn't work that much anymore at the U.S. Open. Mickelson appeared to be in solid position to play the weekend when he stood on the 15th tee. He even on the day and 4 over for the tournament, well inside the cutline. A tee shot into the ankle deep rough at the 489-yard par 4 led to double bogey. He still seemed to be OK when he got to 17, a short uphill par 4. His tee shot sailed into the rough above a greenside bunker. There would be no magic this time. His attempted flop splashed into the sand instead. He blasted out to 25 feet and three-putted for another double bogey. That put him in a position he's been familiar with for a long time: heading to 18 at the U.S. Open needing to make a birdie of consequence. It didn't happen. And as he disappeared into the clubhouse, along with it came the realization that at this point, it likely never will. ___ AP golf: recommended in this topic
Hamilton Spectator
36 minutes ago
- Hamilton Spectator
Marlins secure multiyear deal to again host Caribbean Series, AP source says
MIAMI (AP) — The Caribbean Series will return to the Miami Marlins' loanDepot park after the team reached a multiyear agreement with the Caribbean Professional Baseball Confederation, a person familiar with the deal told The Associated Press. The deal will allow the Marlins, who hosted the Caribbean Series in 2024, to host three more editions of the winter league champions tournament beginning in 2028, the person said, speaking on condition of anonymity because the team has not made a formal announcement. ESPN first reported the news. The Marlins had already secured the 2028 edition of the tournament after bringing record numbers to Miami in 2024 — the first time the Caribbean Series was held at a major league ballpark. The future years are not yet set. A crowd of 36,677 watched Venezuela beat the Dominican Republic in the championship at loanDepot park — the largest crowd ever for a Caribbean Series game and a higher attendance than the 2023 World Baseball Classic championship game (36,098) between the United States and Shohei Ohtani's Japan club held at the same venue. Before returning to Miami, the Caribbean Series will be held in Caracas, Venezuela, in 2026 and Hermosillo, Mexico, in 2027. ___ AP MLB:
Yahoo
43 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Five things to look out for as Club World Cup kicks off
Despite concerns over ticket sales and player fatigue, FIFA's new expanded Club World Cup will throw up several intriguing storylines this summer in the United States. AFP Sport picks five things to look out for on the pitch as teams compete to conquer the world and claim their share of $1 billion in prize money. Advertisement Messi back in the spotlight Former Barcelona great Lionel Messi has spent the last two seasons at MLS side Inter Miami but the Club World Cup pits him against European opposition once again. The 37-year-old superstar still possesses supreme quality but there are question marks over whether he and former top level stars Luis Suarez, Jordi Alba and Sergio Busquets can seriously compete against the cream of the crop. Inter Miami face Porto in their second group match in Atlanta, a team Messi has faced once before, beating them with Barca in the UEFA Super Cup back in 2011. Messi also featured against Porto in a friendly with Barca back in 2003, which was his first ever appearance for the club at 16 years old. Advertisement If he nets at the tournament, Messi would become the oldest ever Club World Cup goalscorer, while both he and Suarez trail the competition's all-time top scorer, Cristiano Ronaldo, by two goals. A new stage for Doue Paris Saint-Germain's Champions League final romp over Inter Milan was inspired by thrilling forward Desire Doue, who turned 20 earlier in June. His spectacular burst into the limelight over the past few months means he is one of the players to watch this summer at the Club World Cup. He struck twice in the final against Inter as well as setting up another goal and drew comparisons to Spanish starlet Lamine Yamal, who will not be playing this summer as Barcelona did not qualify. Advertisement PSG's opening clash against Atletico Madrid at the Rose Bowl in Los Angeles immediately gives Doue another stage to shine on as the world at large continues to discover his immense talent. Revamped City Pep Guardiola's Manchester City endured a poor season by their lofty standards and immediately took action in the special transfer window to bolster their squad for the Club World Cup. The Abu Dhabi-owned club have already splashed more than £100 million ($136 million) on Tijjani Reijnders, Rayan Ait-Nouri and Rayan Cherki. With holding midfielder Rodri also returning to fitness after injury, City are hoping they can step up their game significantly. Advertisement French 21-year-old attacking midfielder Cherki is an exciting talent looking to show his quality at the top level. "I really believe he can become a world-class player with our support and direction," said City's director of football Hugo Viana. South American threat While Europe's elite are at the end of a long, hard season, South American clubs are midway through their campaigns and will be energised. They have long revered the competition to a far greater degree than European sides, as it represents the chance to face the very best teams in the world. Fans who do not regularly follow South American football can look forward to discovering some of the most exciting emerging talents in the world. Advertisement River Plate's Argentine playmaker Franco Mastantuono will join Real Madrid after the tournament, while Chelsea-bound striker Estevao Willian is hoping to end his time at Brazilian side Palmeiras with a bang. Atletico hunger Atletico Madrid ended the season trophyless despite looking like potential contenders in Spain and Europe. Diego Simeone's side are proud of having reached the tournament ahead of La Liga rivals Barcelona and the coach has not hidden his desire to succeed this summer. "I hope we can advance in the Club World Cup and lead Atletico Madrid to a privileged position," said Simeone. Advertisement Atletico have not won a single trophy since lifting La Liga in 2021 and their last success outside of Spanish football came in 2018 with Europa League and UEFA Super Cup wins. Their elimination by Real Madrid in the Champions League after Julian Alvarez's controversial 'double-touch' penalty was disallowed sent them into a spiral, which they only managed to shake off in the final weeks of the season, after their chances of success had vanished. rbs/mw
