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.
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AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer
Mauricio Savarese, The Associated Press
