On 17th October 2023, Soteldo stood out as Venezuela beat Chile 3-0 in the South American 2026 World Cup Qualifiers.
This big win helps Venezuela aim for a top spot in their group. With Coach Fernando Batista, they have seven points now.
They finished this round with a surprising draw and a win, playing against teams like Brazil and Chile.
Earlier in the qualifiers, Venezuela tied 1-1 with Brazil in Cuiabá. After that, they beat Chile with their fans cheering for them.
On the other hand, Chile, who had beaten Peru before, stays with five points.
Playing at home, Venezuela almost let in a goal early. Nine minutes in, Loyola took a shot from the right, but it hit the crossbar.
Chile’s strong start didn’t last long. Rondon missed a chance to tie the game. But Venezuela scored first.
Paulo Díaz lost the ball, Martínez got it, and gave it to Soteldo. The Santos player then shot and scored, making it 1-0 just before half-time.
In the second half, Chile had problems. Marcelino fouled Cásseres and got a yellow card. He argued with referee Flávio Rodrigues de Souza and saw a red card.
Playing with one more player, Soteldo set up another goal. He went past two Chile players and passed to Rondon, who scored.
The last goal came from a play like the second. Soteldo ran past Loyola and passed the ball. Cásseres tried to head it but missed. Machís then shot and made it 3-0 for Venezuela.
Background
Venezuela and Chile have a rich football history. Both teams aim to shine in the World Cup. Historically, Chile has had more success.
They’ve played in the World Cup multiple times. Venezuela, however, has never qualified. But in recent years, Venezuela’s team has shown promise.
This match highlights their growing strength. Their fans hope they’ll make their World Cup debut soon.