Uruguay booked their place at next summer’s World Cup in Russia in the early hours of Wednesday morning with Luis Suarez scoring twice in a 4-2 rout of over Bolivia in Montevideo.
Uruguay’s place was all but secured heading into the final set of South American qualifiers but with their fans out in force they confirmed qualification in style.
Bolivia had taken a surprise early lead through a calamitous own goal from Gaston Silva but the Uruguayans were not to be thwarted as Barcelona star Suarez showed his class.
Luis Suarez celebrates his second goal as Uruguay booked their World Cup place with a comfortable win over Bolivia
Barcelona striker Suarez beats the Bolivia goalkeeper from close range to put Uruguay 3-1 up in the second-half
MATCH FACTS AND FINAL SOUTH AMERICAN TABLE
URUGUAY: Muslera, Gimenez, Godin, Valverde (Rodriguez 60), Bentancur, Suarez, De Arrascaeta (Lodeiro 76), Gaston Silva (Pereira 77), Vecino, Cavani, Caceres.
Subs Not Used: Campana, Conde, Sanchez, Urreta, Stuani, Rios, Gomez, Coates, Gonzalez.
Goals: Caceres 40, Cavani 42, Suarez 60, 76.
BOLIVIA: Lampe, Candia, Chumacero (Arce 46), Valverde, Bejarano, Martins (Alvarez 69), Campos, Castro (Justiniano 57), Machado, Raldes, Sagredo.
Subs Not Used: Cordano, Quinonez, Leonel Morales, Miranda, Haquim, Vargas, Ortiz, Cuellar, Azogue.
Booked: Candia. Goals: Gaston Silva 24 og, Godin 78 og.
Martin Caceres soon levelled the scoring with Edinson Cavani giving the hosts a half-time lead before Suarez’s second-half double put the result beyond doubt.
Comically, Uruguay then gifted their visitors another own goal, with experienced defender Diego Godin finding the back of his own net.
It was not to stop the party mood in the capital though as veteran coach Oscar Tabarez sealed World Cup qualification for the third straight time.
Bolivia celebrate after they took an early in Montevideo through a comedy own goal from Gaston Silva
Former Southampton and Barcelona defender Martin Caceres wheels away after equalising for Uruguay
Edinson Cavani celebrates scoring Uruguay’s second against Bolivia on Wednesday morning
The Uruguay side come together to celebrate their fourth goal with World Cup qualification a certainty
Tabarez guided Uruguay to a fourth-placed finish at the 2010 World Cup and beat England, with Suarez again at the double, at the last World Cup before being knocked out in the last-16.
They finish the two-year South American qualifying process as the second-best team behind Brazil.
