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“We couldn't sustain it,” lamented Venezuela's coach, Fernando 'Bocha' Batista, after Chile came back in the game to beat the vinotinto team 4-2 for the twelfth round of the South American World Cup qualifier.
“We were ahead twice on the scoreboard. The anger is not having that peace of mind when the rival began to despair because they were losing,” said 'Bocha', which extends a bad streak of more than a year without victories in the World Cup qualifiers. 2026.
After the Chilean victory, Venezuela fell to eighth position with 12 points, outside the qualifying and playoff zone.
“Unfortunately, this type of match is where the group has to give that blow to want to qualify for the World Cup,” Batista said about the Venezuelan team, the only Conmebol team that has never gone to a World Cup.
“We have to criticize ourselves, we have to improve, we have to prepare for next year and improve everything we need,” added the Argentine coach.
Venezuela still hasn't gotten up: it only achieved five points from the last 24, after having achieved seven in the first four dates.
“A year ends that is not the best,” Batista said, but he stressed that “I am very hopeful of being able to correct those things for next year.”
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