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38 SPORTS AWEMainta Dialuna, 16 October 2023
Venezuela Shocks Brazil with Audacious
Bicycle Kick to End Home Winning Streak
IN a stunning turn of events during World Cup qualifying, This extraordinary goal set off jubilant celebrations, with the
Eduard Bello’s audacious bicycle kick secured a shock draw Venezuela bench spilling onto the pitch to honor Bello, who
for Venezuela against Brazil, ending the Seleção’s extraordi- had previously gone viral in 2018 for proposing to his girl-
nary home winning streak. friend in the stands during a match after scoring a goal.
Brazil’s remarkable record of not failing to win a home World Venezuela’s remarkable performance in Brazil earns them a
Cup qualifier since a 2-2 draw against Uruguay in March record that only Uruguay can surpass, having secured three
2016 was shattered when Bello delivered a remarkable qualifying draws against the five-time world champion.
strike just five minutes before the final whistle. Other South American teams such as Colombia, Paraguay,
and Bolivia have also managed to achieve two draws, while
The deadlock was finally broken in the 50th minute when Argentina and Peru have been limited to a single draw each.
Arsenal defender Gabriel Magalhães headed Neymar’s Ecuador and Chile, in contrast, have experienced defeat in
corner into the near post, overcoming Venezuela’s stubborn every World Cup qualifier played on Brazilian soil.
defense.
Although Brazil had multiple opportunities to extend its lead, Brazil’s remarkable home World Cup qualifier record remains
Vinícius Jr.’s goal was disallowed due to an offside call with intact, albeit sharing second place with Argentina, who main-
20 minutes left on the clock. tained a 100% record with a 1-0 victory over Paraguay.
In other matches, Uruguay secured a late 2-2 draw away
As the clock ticked down and Brazil seemed poised for against Colombia thanks to Darwin Núñez’s stoppage-time
victory, Bello created a moment of brilliance. He skillfully penalty. Chile claimed its first win with a 2-0 victory over
converted Jefferson Savarino’s seemingly ordinary cross Peru at home, and Ecuador celebrated a significant 2-1
into an extraordinary one, using a bicycle kick to direct the victory in the high-altitude venue of La Paz, Bolivia, thanks
ball past the static Ederson. to Kevin Rodríguez’s 96th-minute strike.
