Thank you, Paraguay
This article describes last night’s results. “South American qualifying,” it says, “is one of the best-kept secrets in global soccer.” Maybe; what’s certain is that South American qualifying is the best competition in soccer, period.
Last night, I was profoundly glad about South America. I watched modest Paraguay hammer the Chileans in Santiago. “Paraguay is such a brave little country,” I thought.
That result kept us Ecuadorians in the thick of things, even though we lost in Brazil. (Still, our defeat was a pity: a victory would have propelled us into fourth place; instead, we sunk to eighth.) Now, if we win our last three games, qualification is virtually assured.
Last night, I was profoundly glad about South America. I watched modest Paraguay hammer the Chileans in Santiago. “Paraguay is such a brave little country,” I thought.
That result kept us Ecuadorians in the thick of things, even though we lost in Brazil. (Still, our defeat was a pity: a victory would have propelled us into fourth place; instead, we sunk to eighth.) Now, if we win our last three games, qualification is virtually assured.