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Gustavo Costas, months ago, was officially presented as the coach of the Bolivia national team. However, after the first 4 results in the World Cup Qualifiers for Mexico, United States and Canada 2026, he was fired. The Bolivarian Football Federation decided to dispense with his services, according to Bolivian media.
The latest match of Bolivia
Paraguay got a new boost in the South American path to the 2026 World Cup by defeating bottom-placed Bolivia 1-0, this Tuesday in Asuncion on the fourth matchday of the qualifiers.
The only goal of the match was scored by forward Antonio Sanabria, at the 69th minute.
La Albirroja, led by Argentine coach Daniel Garnero, finished with 10 men due to the injury of Tito Villalba at the 86th minute, a forward who had replaced another injured player, Ramón Sosa, who left with a sprained ankle at the 25th minute of the game.
"We had to win at all costs and we did. We want to do a lot of things and we are satisfied with what we did, which leaves me very calm," said Garnero.
"Paraguay proposed, this result was eluding us and we got the deserved reward that we came for," he emphasized.
Costas, Bolivia's coach, said he did not intend to resign despite the four consecutive defeats that keep the team at the bottom of the table.
"We are in a process, there is a generational change, we have many new players. We know it will be difficult for us. We have to keep working and looking for positive results. We will recover," he said optimistically.
- Failed chances -
Bolivia barely managed to contain the Paraguayans, who deserved to open the score in the first half.
At the 8th minute, forward Adam Bareiro beat Bolivian goalkeeper Guillermo Viscarra, but his shot was saved by the goalkeeper.
Striker Miguel Almirón scored a great goal, assisted by Bareiro, but referee Gustavo Tejera from Uruguay called offside at the 31st minute.
At the 39th minute, Bolivian defender Diego Medina committed a disqualifying foul against Paraguayan forward Ramón Sosa, one of the best players of the match until that moment. Sosa ended up with a sprained right foot after getting stuck between Medina's legs.
The referee and VAR considered that there was no foul. The player from Talleres de Córdoba was replaced by Tito Villalba.
- Viscarra and providence -
Right after the second half started, Espínola attempted a shot from 25 meters that Viscarra saved with difficulty, sending the ball to the corner.
The team from the altiplano endured the Paraguayan siege with great discipline and patience, fishing for the contradictions of a desperate team to score and launching counterattacks led by their star forward Marcelo Moreno Martins.
Paraguay scored again at the 66th minute through Gabriel Avalos, who had just replaced Romero Gamarra, but the referee called a handball by the forward.
Coach Garnero had ordered the entry of forward Antonio Sanabria.
Sanabria was the author of the Albirroja's goal at the 69th minute, after an incursion and cross from the left by Matías Espinoza, who had previously touched the ball Miguel Almirón.
At the 80th minute, as a last resort, coach Costas sent Adrían Céspedes, Víctor Abrego, and Marcelo Suarez onto the field to put pressure on the home team, who were also reduced to 10 men at the 86th minute due to Villalba's injury, the player who had replaced Sosa.
From optimism, the Albirroja transitioned to anxiety with an emboldened opponent who went all out for the equalizer.
The referee added 6 minutes of stoppage time, but the visitors were unable to take advantage of their numerical superiority to at least achieve a draw.