Venezuela sack coach after World Cup hopes end

Venezuela sacked coach Fernando Batista on Wednesday night, a day after their World Cup qualification dream died and after an intervention by the country’s president.

News of Argentine Batista’s sacking, alongside his entire backroom staff, came after President Nicolas Maduro had called for a “restructuring of the technical staff”.

That was 24 hours after Venezuela, known as the Vinotinto, were thumped 6-3 at home by neighbours Colombia, ending their hopes of reaching a World Cup for the first time.

“Yesterday we suffered a painful defeat,” said Maduro.

“All of Venezuela demands a restructuring of the technical staff of the Vinotinto, a reorganisation of the strategy, of the doctrine and of the line of combat and hard work.”

The decision by the sport’s world governing body FIFA to expand the 2026 World Cup in North America from 32 to 48 teams had boosted the hopes of teams like Venezuela — the only side in the CONMEBOL federation never to qualify for a finals — to make it to the global extravaganza for the first time.

But their defeat to Colombia meant that Bolivia — 1-0 winners over five-time champions Brazil — pipped them to a place in the intercontinental play-offs.

Peru, whose hopes of World Cup qualification had ended before the final round of matches, also sacked their coach, Oscar Ibanez.

They finished the group stage with a miserable record of two wins and just six goals alongside 10 defeats from their 18 matches.