3-0: Araujo’s Uruguay close out in style

Three victories to close out this first third of the South American Qualifiers, with seven goals scored and an unbeaten record, knocking out Brazil, Argentina and now Bolivia at the Centenario Stadium. This Ronald Araújo’s Uruguay closed 2023 on a very high notebeat Bolivia 3-0, have 13 points out of a possible 18, and have half a key to play in the 2026 World Cup. The Blaugrana returned to play as a right back for Marcelo Bielsa’s team and scored at high altitude.in: was the key to Darwin Nuñez’s opening goal.

Uruguay dominated the first 45 minutes. He suffocated Bolivia with high pressure, and every time he got the ball back he shot, with great judgment and speed, towards the Bolivian goal. With a ball recovered by Ronald Araújo in the territory of Uruguay, a very quick counter was born, which in a few seconds converted a good closing of the Barça defender into a sharp attack by Facundo Pellistri in the other area, with a touch towards Darwin Nuñez, who was determined exactly for the opening.

The Liverpool striker again played a great game (he has five goals in the last four games). Araújo, what has been said, is a happy figure. Pellistri, on the right, had his best game in these Qualifiers. Nico De la Cruz, driving in the middle. Rodrigo Bentancur, starting after a cruciate ligament injury, of the galley and baton in the middle of the field. Fede Valverde, the unstoppable tractor when he started from the right from the center line. Uruguay was good at football as a collective, and there were individual performance levels.

The second goal came from a corner sent in by De la Cruz, with Bolivan frangollo in the background, and a goal against Villamil. It was 2-0 in 45 minutes, a tight and short result, for the superiority of Bielsa’s eleven.

The accessory no longer has that celestial football perfection, or aesthetic exuberance in the visual. There was time for another goal, again from Darwin Nuñez. There was also time for Luis Suárez to come on, with 22 minutes remaining, as the stands demanded in his last game with the light blue at the Centenario Stadium.

Safely saw off his team was scorer Marcelo Martins, cheered and hugged on the field by locals and strangers, and received a round of applause from the entire Centennial, a fair reward for the visitor who closes an extraordinary Bolivian soccer career.

Ronald Araújo showed again that he can also play as a full-back. Bielsa’s Uruguay closed the year on a superlative level. It came well. And he was excited. In six months there is the Copa América in the United States.