Arsenal’s Alexis Sanchez will not be going to the World Cup next summer thanks to an eventful final day in qualification.
The group stages of the qualifying campaign came to an end in South America in the early hours of this morning, and Chile found themselves dumped out in excruciating circumstances.
La Roja started the day in third in the group, with four automatic qualifying spots, and a play-off for the fifth-placed team on the day, but found themselves plummet from third to sixth.
Brazil put Sanchez’s side to the sword with a 3-0 dominating win, and they were forced to rely on other results to save them any hope of making the tournament next summer.
Arsenal team-mate David Ospina has controversially been blamed for the result which cost Chile, with his touch resulting in a 1-1 draw which saw both Peru and Colombia leapfrog them into fourth and fifth respectively.
The weird part of the story is that had Ospina not touched the ball, and allowed it to hit the back of the net undiverted then the goal would not have stood. Peru were awarded an indirect free kick from outside the box, which Guerrero confusingly shot straight at goal, only to be parried into the net, which allowed it to stand.
It will be unlikely that Sanchez will blame his Colombian team-mate for his part in the goal, but the fact that he misses next summer’s World Cup could distract him from his football.
It is known that in a World Cup year that players will do their best to build up their form ahead of the competition, and our superstar Alexis will no longer have that target in mind, but does that mean he can concentrate on his playing days for us?
Sanchez is into the final 12 months of his contract, and is heavily expected to move on before next season, and the prospect of the World Cup next summer could have been enough to keep him concentrated on his football, but I fear his priority could turn to seeking out his new club instead.
Will Alexis continue to concentrate on his football or will last night’s drama have an adverse effect on his season?
Pat J