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Bielsa's Uruguay primed for Cup berth
The Straits Times
|September 04, 2025
Charismatic veteran coach Marcelo Bielsa is on the brink of guiding a third team to World Cup qualification, as Uruguay take on Peru on Sept 4 (Sept 5, Singapore time) needing only a draw to secure their ticket to the 2026 North American extravaganza.
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MONTEVIDEO - Charismatic veteran coach Marcelo Bielsa is on the brink of guiding a third team to World Cup qualification, as Uruguay take on Peru on Sept 4 (Sept 5, Singapore time) needing only a draw to secure their ticket to the 2026 North American extravaganza.
Paraguay, who host Ecuador, also need only a draw, while Colombia can book their spot by beating Bolivia.
Reigning champions Argentina, for whom the incomparable Lionel Messi will be playing his last home qualifier at the age of 38, have already secured their berth, alongside Brazil and Ecuador.
For Uruguay, a draw or more in front of 60,000 fans in a packed-out Estadio Centenario in Montevideo would be a fitting achievement for the 70-year-old Bielsa.
This story is from the September 04, 2025 edition of The Straits Times.
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