10/22/2020 1:50 PM
Clarín.com
sports
Updated 10/22/2020 3:51 PM
The changes of decisions and the comings and goings are not the exclusive power of Argentine football.
And it was clear this Thursday when FIFA officially reported that the National Team would play its second home commitment in the South American Qualifiers towards the Qatar World Cup 2022 in Santiago del Estero and hours later they changed the information and indicated that the venue would once again be the Candy box.
The game in question will be on November 12 at 9:00 p.m. and against Paraguay for the third date of the qualifying rounds.
Then Argentina will close the year on November 17 against Peru at 9:30 p.m. at the National Stadium in Lima.
In the last hours the rumor had taken hold that the venue chosen to play at home would be the Sole Mother of Cities Stadium in Santiago del Estero, which had been designated as one of the venues for the Copa América to be played this year in Argentina. and Colombia but that was suspended as a result of the coronavirus pandemic.
The FIFA website reported this Thursday that Argentina would play at home against Paraguay at the Unique Stadium in Santiago del Estero.
Moreover, the Argentine Football Association submitted a request to FIFA to include the provincial stadium among the possible fields to play the Qualifiers since it had not been chosen in the first place.
Argentina's debut as a local was on the first date, with a 1-0 victory against Ecuador in the Bombonera.
But the idea of taking the team to the Interior has always been an attractive alternative for the leadership of the AFA.
The Sole Mother of Cities Stadium cost around 2,000 million pesos and has a capacity for 30 thousand spectators.
Its construction had been presented within the framework of the Argentine bid, in conjunction with Uruguay, to host the 2030 World Cup, a project that did not materialize.
Gonzalo Belloso during Conmebol's inspection of the Santiago del Estero stadium.
(Photo Telam =
In the preview of a new double knockout date, it was also speculated that Argentina would host Paraguay again in Buenos Aires, but instead of the Boca field it would play a local in the Avellaneda Cylinder.
It is worth remembering that the Monumental is being remodeled and not even River will act as a local there.
Two hours after confirming the headquarters of Santiago or del Estero, FIFA backed down and published that Argentina will play in the Bombonera against Paraguay.
Meanwhile, the desire of Claudio Chiqui Tapia and the executive secretary of the AFA, Pablo Toviggino, to take the party to Santiago del Estero, a decisive obstacle appeared since in the province the openings of hotels were not authorized and in that way it would make the logistics of the event impossible.
Finally, as announced in the last hours by the provincial chief of staff, Elías Suárez, the hotels will open their doors from Monday, October 26.
And it seemed to be the key to the move of the selection
That decision ended up speeding up the proceedings before FIFA.
And on Tuesday a team of Conmebol employees inspected the stadium and gave the final ok.
"The stadium is perfect and meets the conditions," said Gonzalo Belloso, an Argentine leader who works as Deputy Secretary General for Soccer and Director of Development for Conmebol.
That is why it did not attract attention when the days, times and stadiums of the next qualifying matches were reported on the FIFA website and the Sole Mother of Cities appeared as the venue.
For the logistics of the squad, moving from Buenos Aires would represent an obvious complication since the players of the selected team arrive in the country and are concentrated in the Ezeiza property, where the health bubble worked without problems to prevent coronavirus infections and keep the soccer players isolated.
If they maintain the headquarters of the Bombonera, they would only have to move when it is time to go to Lima to play on November 17 against Peru.
On the other hand, if the home game is in Santiago del Estero, they should travel to play the first game, return to Buenos Aires and then fly to Peru.
A five-star stadium and in record time
A first-rate stadium that was to host the 2020 Copa América, postponed by the coronavirus.
(Photo: Telam)
“If it's Messi to be called up and play the game, I don't know.
But that the Argentine National Team is going to play a game in Santiago del Estero in 2020, it is almost certain, ”Toviggino anticipated in January.
Toviggino is more than the president of the Santiago soccer league.
In the field of the ball, he is considered the Chief of Staff of the AFA of Chiqui Tapia and is a friend of the governor of Santiago, Gerardo Zamora, who in May proudly said that the "mission accomplished" in relation to the stadium was carried out on time. record.
The works began in June 2018 and were completed in just under two years through a strong investment from the provincial government.
As reported, the initial tender was for 984 million pesos, but the final expense would have exceeded 1.5 billion pesos.
In January of this year, due to a strong rainstorm and wind, part of the roof that was being placed was blown off.
But beyond these inconveniences that did not cause injuries, the stage was ready in time and form to receive the match between Uruguay and Paraguay, for the fifth date of zone A of the Copa América, which was finally postponed.
“Tapia has a very specific idea with the Santiago del Estero stadium.
This project is very important for Argentine soccer and without any doubt it will give it the necessary transcendence ”, Toviggino assured at the beginning of the year in statements on Public TV.
And he added: “He said it on several occasions and speaks in the most important places in the world of football about the construction of the Santiago del Estero stadium: he already took it as his own.
There is no doubt that Argentina is going to play a knockout date at the stadium. "
The omen seemed to be confirmed but, for now, there was a reversal.
