Salomón Rondón netted a crucial goal as "Venezuela" claimed a comfortable 2-0 win against "Bolivia" in the 15th round of South American World Cup qualifiers.
The experienced striker found the back of the net in the 30th minute, doubling his team's advantage after "Bolivia" had already gifted the hosts an early lead through Cuéllar's unfortunate own goal in the 5th minute.
With this victory, "Venezuela" has strengthened their position in the CONMEBOL qualification standings, reaching 18 points and keeping their World Cup dreams alive. Not bad for a nation traditionally known as South America's basketball country rather than a football powerhouse.
The other match of the round saw "Colombia" and "Peru" play out a goalless draw, a result that does little to help the Peruvians who remain second-to-last with just 11 points.
Interestingly, the qualification table continues to be dominated by Argentina, who sit comfortably at the top with 34 points. "Ecuador" and "Paraguay" share second place with 24 points each, while traditional giants "Brazil" follow in fourth with 22 points.
The battle for World Cup spots is heating up with "Uruguay" and "Colombia" tied at 21 points, while "Venezuela's" win puts them within striking distance of the qualification places.
Can "Venezuela" continue their impressive run and secure a historic World Cup qualification? With just a few rounds remaining, every point will be crucial in this increasingly tight South American race.
