What a wonder the Qualifiers are! A tsunami of passions. It brings joy, sadness, anger, hope, disappointment. Ecuador went from very low expectations to a very, very big hope (with reason), Uruguay went from initial bad mood to a smile on Friday; Colombia was defeated at home and the tremendous adjectives pile up: "shame", "disaster", "humiliation". Euphoria in Chile: "That's how we wanted to see you, guys," says the headline in La Cuarta. And in Argentina, they roar against the Brazilian referee who officiated against Paraguay. The remarkable thing is that there are no indifferent people to this competition, which is by far the most visceral of them all. It involves nationality and nationalism like no other; it awakens them. Each match leaves a lot of room for opinion.
* AUTHORITY. Ecuador's authority to take the three points from La Paz. Bolivia strengthened with the players from Bolívar and Wilstermann who had not played in the first two matchdays (including Arce, author of a great goal) and the Tricolor lost Enner Valencia, but showed determination to always seek the game. With personality and commitment. They knew that Bolivia was the weakest rival and that they had to beat them. They imposed it on themselves. And they climbed up the table.
* STRIKE. Uruguay's, against Colombia. The Uruguayans had a boost of faith after playing terribly in the first two matches. Maestro Tabárez could never have dreamed of such a victory, so peaceful that he even nodded off in his chair. Cavani returned and showed international caliber. Approaching 34 years old and after seven and a half months of inactivity, he calmly and skillfully defined the only chance he had in front of Ospina's goal. It was only 5 minutes into the match, from that moment on the afternoon in Barranquilla was all light blue.
* DEBACLE. Before the Qualifiers started, we argued that, by tradition, the importance of each media and the number of players abroad, Argentina, Brazil, Uruguay, and Colombia were logical contenders for a spot. After Friday's 0-3, Colombia will have to prove it match after match. Such a lackluster performance puts their trip to the World Cup in doubt. A team without functionality, character, or hierarchy. Even with very low physical intensity. They travel to Quito with many doubts. If Ecuador maintains its regularity, it is facing the perfect opportunity to end the year with 9 points, up high in the table. And to give another push to a direct rival. The two starting defenders, Yerry Mina (two yellow cards) and Dávinson Sánchez (did not travel because his wife gave birth), will not play.
* EVOLUTION. After two consecutive victories, Argentina drew against Paraguay at La Bombonera. The loss of two points left a certain bitter taste. Just like the hesitant start of the team. However, the albiceleste took a step forward as a team. In the second half, they boxed Paraguay in their own area with determination and push. But hammering against eleven players shielded in twenty meters of field is not easy. Especially against players who historically have made resistance their style of play.
* STRIKE II. The one Paraguayan midfielder Ángel Romero dealt to Exequiel Palacios, from Argentina. Disqualifying: he jumped to head the ball with both knees up against a player who had his back turned and fractured his spine. A brutal tackle that will require several months of recovery for Palacios. Romero did not apologize, Brazilian referee Raphael Claus did not even give him a yellow card. And VAR did not call him to review the brutal action. On September 18, Romero had fractured Andrés Herrera, his San Lorenzo teammate, in a club practice. They had clashed in training, and he went after him from behind and broke his fibula. On that occasion, he made a feeble attempt at an apology.
* PHENOMENON. We had the chance to see some of Elías Figueroa in those little-televised Libertadores of the '60s, we saw more of Caszely (excellent), admired Salas (phenomenal), but no Chilean player has impressed us as much as Arturo Vidal, a true world-class crack. A complete player, defends, attacks, scores, leads, transmits. What a game he had against Peru! Mentioning his two goals is mandatory, especially the first one, sensational, but it is impossible not to highlight his dedication, he leaves every last drop of sweat on the grass, he has an immense range, from one area to another. And he is technical, intelligent, brave. A figure for all eras. And a symbol of winning Chile.
* ATTENTION... to Darwin Núñez, Uruguay's new 21-year-old forward. He scored the third goal for Uruguay against Colombia. He arrives to share the attack with Suárez and Cavani and to replace them in the future. He is full of goals, he hits the ball brilliantly. He moved to Benfica for 24 million euros, the most expensive signing in the history of the Portuguese league and the highest sale of Almería and the Spanish Second Division.
* DEVOLUTION. James Rodríguez's. Colombia sees him as a national idol, for having been the top scorer in a World Cup and for having moved to Real Madrid in a galactic transfer, to Bayern Munich and other top European clubs, but he doesn't live up to such expectations. He is a number 10 who doesn't lead, launches long balls, doesn't take control of the team, lacks dynamism, can't hold onto the ball for two seconds because he is closed down and loses it (the same happens to him at Everton). And counterattacks that cost goals come. He doesn't look physically well, that's why he feels compelled to get rid of it quickly and loses precision. He doesn't create football, just passes the ball. He is even far from the goal, before he often entered the box.
* SCENARIO. The three consecutive defeats of Bolivia and Venezuela, but above all the victories of Argentina and Ecuador in La Paz, force the others to beat the last two. Those who drop points against La Verde and La Vinotinto will shed tears.