Chile loses at Bolivia, will miss third straight World Cup

Chile will miss a third consecutive World Cup after losing 2-0 at Bolivia on Tuesday to remain last in South America's 10-team round-robin competition. Head coach Ricardo Gareca later said he was standing down after his team's failure.

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 places 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. “We have to keep working. There's change already, the golden generation is buried, I am the only one left."

Bolivia scored first via 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.

Gareca, the 67-year-old Argentinian coach who took Peru to the 2018 World Cup, told a post-game news conference he was leaving the team after a 17-match stretch that included four wins, four draws and nine losses.

“I want to publicly thank the players and the executives for the support they gave us until the very end,” Gareca said.

Bolivia has 17 points, one behind Venezuela, which will play later at Uruguay. Both are vying for seventh place, which secures the intercontinental playoff spot. Sixth-place Colombia has 21 points.

Ecuador can clinch its spot with a win later at Peru. Brazil and Paraguay, who will meet in Sao Paulo, can also book their tickets if they win and Venezuela loses in Montevideo.