Guinea game ‘postponed’; Salah back but Egypt draw
However, fielding players who did not comply with Brazilian laws and health norms, and also offered false information to authorities did require the agency to act, at its time and its way,” the Brazilian agency said.
On a day overshadowed by the shocking suspension of the superclasico between Brazil and Argentina because of COVID-19 protocols, Uruguay and Colombia added key points in South American qualifying for the World Cup.
The Uruguayans thrashed eighthplace Bolivia 4-2 at home to move into fourth place with 12 points after eight matches. Colombia had a 1-1 draw at Paraguay. It was Colombia’s third consecutive draw, but enough for Reinaldo Rueda’s lineup to stop Paraguay moving into fifth spot in the standings.
The top four teams in South American qualifiers get direct spots at next year’s World Cup in Qatar. The fifthplace team will go into an intercontinental playoff.
Uruguay’s veteran strike duo of Edinson Cavani and Luis Suárez were out for the encounter, but Óscar Tabárez’s team had little trouble against a weak Bolivia lineup.
Giorgian de Arrascaeta opened the scoring in the 17th minute from close range. Federico Valverde doubled the lead in the 31st with a free kick from the left edge of the box. Agustin Alvares added a third, his first for the national team, in the 47th.
Bolivia responded with a goal by Marcelo Martins in the 59th after a mistake by the Uruguayan defense. But Uruguay responded eight minutes later from the spot with de Arrascaeta.
Martins reduced the margin in the 84th, also from the spot.
Cavani missed the match because of travel restrictions imposed by Manchester United, and Suárez was injured.
Uruguay’s next match is against Ecuador in Montevideo on Thursday. Bolivia will next play in Argentina.
Colombia entered the game determined to improve on their poor performance in a 1-1 draw at Bolivia, but Paraguay opened the scoring in the 40th minute.
Ángel Romero nutmegged defender Davinson Sanchez and set up a simple finish for Antonio Sanabria.
Colombia rallied in the second half and put Juan Guillermo Cuadrado on the spot in the 53rd after a handball awarded by the video referee. The Colombians had more possession late in the game but weren’t able to convert that into goals.
CAPE TOWN, South Africa, Sept 6, (AP): A World Cup qualifying game in Guinea was postponed as an apparent coup d’etat unfolded in the West African nation on Sunday, and the visiting Moroccan team reportedly left the country safely after being confined to their hotel as gunshots rang out nearby.
Guinea were due to host Morocco in a Group I game on Monday in the capital, Conakry.
But President Alpha Conde was detained by soldiers the day before the game and hours after heavy gunfire was heard near the presidential palace in Conakry. Soldiers then announced on state television that the government had been dissolved.
“The political and security situation in Guinea is quite volatile,” the Confederation of African Football said in a statement announcing the qualifier had been postponed “to ensure safety” of players and match officials. CAF and FIFA were closely monitoring the situation, CAF said.
SOCCER
Guinea’s borders were closed but the Moroccan squad were given permission to leave, according to local news reports.
“We’re at the hotel, gunshots can be heard nearby,” Morocco coach Vahid Halilhodzic told French newspaper L’Equipe earlier in the day when the team were stranded while an aircraft waited at the airport.
Match officials were also eventually allowed to leave Guinea, the reports said.
It was not immediately clear when Guinea’s Europe-based players including Liverpool’s Naby Keita and Sochaux’s Florentin Pogba, the brother of Manchester United’s Paul Pogba, would be able to return to their clubs. CAF gave no new date for the game to be played.
There were three matches in the African qualifying competition with Egypt only managing a 1-1 draw in Gabon in Group F despite the return of Mohamed Salah, who also took back the captain’s armband.