Bolivia - Tears of the sun

Colombia have a much stronger squad than Bolivia so no shame in defeat there. And you were extremely unlucky there too

Those own goals would have hurt, keep going though... encouraging signs!

Again, thank you very much. Indeed, the own goals a always very unlucky, especially in the last minuted. But the team will learn a lot of this mistakes. Nobody expect something out of Bolivia, so I got the time to built up a strong squad for the future. Maybe we will be competitive in the World Cup Qualifiers 2018, we will see


Fulltime: 1-5 (1-1)
Goals: Perez (8´) - J.C Arce (16´), M. Marquez (o.g 46´), Justiniano (54´), Galindo (72´), D. Chávez (81´)

Attendance: 12.913
Estadio Juan Abrantes, Havanna - June 14th 19h30

Cuba - Aldana (65´ Castellano) - Urgellés, Clavelo, Malblanche (45´ M.Marquez), Corrales - Y. Marquez - L.Pérez, Colomé , M. Hernandez (54´ R.A. Martinez), A, Gómez (45´ J.C. Maya) - A. Martínez

Bolivia - Arias - Melean (60´ Amador), Raldes(c) - Hoyos, Garcia, Gutierrez (60´ D.Chávez) - Edivaldo - J.C Arce, D.Suarez, Galindo - Pedriel (45´ Justiniano)


This was a solid game for us. I tried out the younger generation in the attack. With Diego Suarez and Samuel Galindo, we got two offensive midfielders, both under-21. Same to Henry Justiniano, who actually plays for our under-20. I called him up due an injury of Moreno. All of them played brilliant today.

J.C Arce was the man of the match. He did a good job on the right winger position and maybe I let him play against Argentina. Edivaldo also did a really impressive job in the centre midfield, with an average of 88% completed passes.

It was a good test for us against Cuba. The offensive part of the team is really well playing, and we got a lot of players to choose from. The defence remain the main problem of all South Amerian teams. I don´t have a lot of players to choose, because the most of them are really awful.

---

Only a week later, we travelled to Sint Maarten. Before the flight, i had to take a closer look at the globus. It´s a small island in the carribean. They send me an invitation a few weeks earlier, to play a friendly, but i think it will be more like a training game.
Nevermind, another occasion for some players to gain some international experience.


Fulltime: 1-7 (1-5)
Goals: Colin (37´ pen.) - Galindo (3´, 26´), Edivaldo (6´, 16´), J.C Arce (19´, 54´), Pedriel (92´)

Attendance: 3.828
Carib Ground, Philipsburg - June 18th 19h30

Sint Martin - Beaurepaire - Tirenzoni, Girard, Nicoli, Jacob (72´ Fraise) - Obiang, Labbé (45´ Guerin), Blamc, Mougin (72´ Layec) - Mahe (54´ Lambert), Colin (72´ Bailly)

Bolivia - Arias (45´ D. Vaca)- Cabrera, Raldes(c) (45´ Amador) - Hoyos, Garcia, Gutierrez (45´ D. Chávez) - Edivaldo - J.C Arce, Chumacero (45´ D. Suarez), Galindo - Justiniano (45´ Pedriel)


I saw a lot of good things in this game. However, the opponent was a fairly poor team. But the tactics seem to work very well. Again we got a lot of possesion in this game and we played the game wide. Arce´s really impressing me, again he was the man of the match. Actually he´s playing for Bolivar, one of the major teams in Bolivia, but I hope, he´s jumping to a bigger team. In 2010, he played one season for Terek Grozny in the Russian Premier League. Chumacero also is a 22-year old talented midfielder, actually playing for The Strongest, another team from La Paz.

---

The third and last game of preparation was a bit of confusion. First, we should play Anguilla, but there manager got sick and they cancelled the game. So we were looking for another team. Armenia refused to come to La Paz as the traval way was too long. In the end we found Angola, the African side, who were willing to come over to Bolivia. A strong football team and a real challenge for my guys.


Fulltime: 0-2 (0-2)
Goals: Mateus (10´, 26´)

Attendance: 19.685
Estadio Hernandez Siles, La Paz - August 14th 19h30

Bolivia - Arias (45´ Guilhermo)- L. Mendez, Amador (45´ Melean) - Vargas, Garcia(c), Gutierrez (45´ I. Garcia) - Saucedo - J.C Arce, Campos , Cardozo (45´ Galindo) - D. Cabrera (45´ A. Pena)

Angola - Mavanga (66´ Lama) - Ramalho (83´ Serrado), Mafuta, Pataca, Miguel - Mano (61´ Zenga) - Dany, Kivuvu - Djalma, Geraldo (71´ Luis Pedro) - Mateus


We weren´t that bad in this game, but failed to make our chances. In the end, a well deserved lost. Especially Gutierrez, Cardozo and Amador got a miserable day.

Now we have to look in the future. Next game will be Argentina in Septembre, followed by Peru four days later. In the Octobre, we play the last two schedules against fierst rival Venezuela and the last game at home against Uruguay. Wins over Peru and especially Venezuela should be realistic, we will see.

I love your layout in this story

Again fantastic layout and I'm sure Pauker will be happy because J.C Arce is his cousin!

Oh thats cool, some interesting news. He´s doing really well the last games


Fulltime: 4-2 (2-2)
Goals: Dimechelis (23´), Higuain (38´), Messi (48´), Garay (90´) - Moreno (4´), Cardozo (29´)
Attendance: 18.529
Gigante de Arroyito, Rosario - Septembre 6th 19h30

Argentina - S. Romero - Peruzzi (71´ Campagnaro), Garay, Dimichelis, Zabaletta - Higuain (45´ E. Perez), Mascherano, L. Romero, Di Maria (71´ Lamela) - Agüero, Messi(c)

Bolivia - Guilhermo - Melean, Raldes(c) - Vargas, Garcia, Gutierrez - Saucedo (56´ Edivaldo) - J.C Arce (67´ J.Vaca), Campos, Cardozo - Moreno


After this performence, I was really proud of my team. They gave everything in this game and forced Argentina to battle ´till the last minute.
They game began superb for us as Moreno heads in o lovely cross from Rudy Cardozo. After the equaliser of Dimichelis, Rudy Cardozo finished a lovely counter attack from La Verde and we took again the lead. It was really difficult, as the Gauchos launched one attack after the other. Nearly every minute they appeared in our penalty box, but we hold the draw until the break.
After, it was a question of the power. How long could my players hold the line? After Messi scored the lead for Argentina, I tried everything. I played a lot more risky and offensive football. In the last five minutes, I told my players to go up. Try everything to gain a point here in Rosario. In the injury time, Argentina did another counter attack and they finished my dream of earning a point in Rosario. In fact, it was a deserved win for Argentina, as they were crystal clear the better team, but I think, a point would be fair to us.
In fact, this career forces everything out of me, especially in tactical things, which I learned in over seven years Football Manager.

---

Only four days later, it was Peru who came to La Paz. A game, which I wanted to win. The odds said that we were the clear underdog, but I was sur this wasn´t. We played really well in the last games, we played over our skills. To say, we are by far the most poor team in South America, when you take a look to the individual qualitiy. Even Venezuela got a far stronger squad. But my team grow from game to game.


Fulltime: 2-2 (2-0)
Goals: Cardozo (7´), L. Mendez (41´) - J.C Fernandez (84´), Trujillo (92´)

Attendance: 27.588
Estadio Hernandez Siles, La Paz - Septembre 10th 19h30

Bolivia - Guilhermo - Melean, L. Mendez - Parada, Garcia, Gutierrez (69´ I. Garcia) - Edivaldo - J.C Arce (77´ J.L Chavez), J. Vaca, Cardozo - Moreno

Peru - Delgado - Ascues (45´ Ramos), Zambrano, Gambetta - Reyes (45´ Guizasola), Cruzado, Albarracin, Ramirez (41´ J.C Fernandez), Trujillo - Guerrero , Pizarro


A good start from us, as we took the lead after a superb strike from Rudy Cardozo. And before half-time, Limbert Mendez made a header after a corner cross.
I thought this would be a comfortable win, as Peru didn´t show anything in the first 45 minutes.
But then again, we got some goals in the last minuted of the game. I didn´t count them in this career, but I tahink it should now be nearly ten or so. This is incredible, I don´t know what I can do to stop this. A very frustrated draw, even if we were the clear underdogs.
I told the players and the media that it is unacceptable to loose points in this way.
Next game is against Venezuela and this game must be won.

Nice layout,unlucky against peru.Also are you using the FIFA legend Pedro Azogue?

It's going to take a bit to get off the foot of the South American football ladder, but I'm sure you can do it!

That´s for sure Walter. I have also the hope in the youth, on other FM Saves, I saw a lot of good newgens coming from this country

---

We are arriving to the last step of this World Cup Qualification 2014. The last two games are scheduled. The first one will be away at Venezuela, the last chance of getting three points.


Fulltime: 1-1 (0-0)
Goals: Rincon (62´) - J.C Arce (89´)
Attendance: 30.000
Augustin Tovar, Barinas - Octobre 11th 19h30

Venezuela - Hernandez - A. Gonzalez, Vizcarrondo, Amorebieto, Cichero - Rosales (56´ C. Gonzalez), Flores (45´ J. Alvarez), Rincon , Santos - Miku, S. Rondon

Bolivia - Guilhermo - Parada, Melean, Raldes(c), I. Garcia - R. Garcia - Mojica - J.Vaca (72´ J.C Arce), Campos, Cardozo (40´ J.L Chavez) - Moreno (72´ A. Pena)


The odds were against us, like it always is, but the result gaves us right. It was a real fight. No team wanted to loose this clash. Venezuela tried it with their individual quality, like Rondon or Miku, while we were trying to do it with teamwork.
Venezuela were the first who scored, after a terrible mistake of our keaper Guilhermo. The team didn´t loose the head an played their game. And this time, it was Bolivia who stroke back in the last minute. A nice ball in the space from Vaca and it was Arce who profited and scored.
Both managers could be satisfied with the result. It was a game full of passion, both sides played very hard but fair.

---

A few days later, it was Uruguay to came to La Paz. A very strong side under Manager Oscar Tabarez. It was the final game of this Qualification.


Fulltime: 0-3 (0-2)
Goals: Cavani (7´,15´), Lodeiro (83´)

Attendance: 45.000
Estadio Hernandez Siles, La Paz - Octobre 15th 19h30

Bolivia - Guilhermo - Parada, Melean , L. Mendez, I. Garcia - R. Garcia(c) - Mojica - J.Vaca, Campos (69´ J.C Arce), Cardozo (58´ J.L Chavez) - Moreno (58´ A. Pena)

Uruguay - Muslera - Maxi Pereira , Godin, Lugano, Olaza (33´ Fucile) - S. Martinez - D. Perez, Arevalo Rios (74´ Eguren) - L. Suarez - Cavani, A. Hernandez (68´ Lodeiro)


And for the last game, we became a nice lesson of pure attacking football from Uruguay. There was absolutely no chance of earning anything. Neverless, we tried. There is a clear difference between the Bolivia team from the January, and the team from the late Octobre.
The tactical approach is very good, and the player seem to develop a bit. There is some system in the team now.

In the end, we drop to the last position, because of the goaal difference. But we were competitive in the last games and for sure we will attack in the next Qualification. For now, it´s over with competitive football. We will play friendlies and take the time to analyse the squad. The next meeting will be the Copa America in 2015.

The Bolivian Football Assosiation also gave me feedback. We will see



And at the end a very nice story of Peru. They beat Chile in Santiago and are now up in the playoffs. They will face Usbekistan. Would be some kind of a dream for manager Sergio Markarian and La Blanquirroja.

I would love to see you post your world ranking every time it changes, love the story!

Good effort mate, definitely seeing improvements in the squad, next world cup for sure