SANTIAGO, Chile — After a narrow loss to Paraguay, Chile faces a must-win game against Ecuador in the World Cup qualifiers this Tuesday. Coach Ricardo Gareca emphasizes the urgency as they strive to secure three crucial points at home.
Gareca knows time is running out for his team to advance, and has made tactical changes to bolster the offense. In the latest training at Juan Pinto Durán, he benched Alexander Aravena and decided to start another player who made an impact during the second half of the last game.
Meanwhile, star player Alexis Sánchez has been ruled out due to a mild muscle injury, a significant blow to the squad’s morale and strategy. Additionally, another player has been sidelined with a viral fever, further complicating team dynamics.
Chile is set to line up without key players, featuring Brayan Cortés; Felipe Loyola, Guillermo Maripán, Paulo Díaz, Gabriel Suazo; Arturo Vidal, Rodrigo Echeverría, Vicente Pizarro; Darío Osorio, Diego Valdés, and Eduardo Vargas. The game takes place on Tuesday, March 25, at 21:00, at Estadio Nacional, and fans can catch the action live on ESPN and Disney+.
