The U17 playoff match between Chile and Bolivia, which will determine a spot in the Qatar World Cup, has been rescheduled for this Thursday, April 16. The decision comes in response to a weather front expected to impact the Paraguayan capital, Asunción, throughout Wednesday.
According to reports from latercera.com, the match was originally scheduled for Wednesday, but CONMEBOL ordered the date change due to meteorological factors. The clash will now take place at 7:00 PM Chilean time at the Estadio Ameliano in Villeta.
Chile, led by head coach Ariel Leporati, is fighting to secure qualification for the tournament. After finishing fourth in Group A during the first phase of the South American Championship, the national team was knocked out of title contention but remains in the running for one of the seven available slots.
The Road to Qatar
The new format of the World Cup, which will now feature 48 participants, expands the opportunities for South American teams. In this playoff stage, Chile will face the Bolivian side, which finished third in Group B.
In the other playoff bracket, Uruguay will compete for qualification against Venezuela. The winners of both matchups will earn direct tickets to the World Cup. The losing teams will have one final chance to qualify by competing in a seventh-place playoff, where the winner will secure a trip to the Middle East.
The Estadio Ameliano in Villeta has already proven difficult for the Chilean squad. According to reports, the venue was the site of Chile's group stage finale against Ecuador, a match heavily impacted by rain and poor pitch conditions.
At this moment, four nations have already guaranteed their places in the World Cup: Ecuador, Argentina, Brazil, and Colombia. Only one of the four teams competing for the 5th through 8th place spots will miss out on the competition.
