Central & South America

Argentina got their World Cup qualifying campaign off to the perfect start on Thursday when Lionel Messi's early penalty gave them a 1-0 win over Ecuador in a lackluster match in Buenos Aires.

The Argentine FA piped fan noise around the empty Bombonera stadium and the chants of "Messi! Messi!" were vindicated as early as the 12th minute when he put Argentina ahead from the spot after Lucas Ocampos was fouled inside the penalty area.

The president of Paraguayan club Olimpia, one of the most successful in South America, has been banned for life from football after being found guilty of match manipulation, global soccer body FIFA said on Monday.

SANTIAGO — Chilean side Deportes Antofagasta travelled 1,500 km (932 miles) to play a league match on Saturday, only to be told at the stadium that the game had been called off because of a positive COVID-19 test amongst the staff of opponents Colo Colo.

The Chilean league said in a statement that the case was detected on Friday among the Colo Colo delegation which had travelled to Brazil for a Copa Libertadores match.

Comunicado Oficial pic.twitter.com/NEMX7BTWCU

Brazilian champion Flamengo has asked league organisers to cancel this weekend’s game against Palmeiras after 16 of their players tested positive for COVID-19.

Seven players tested positive ahead of Tuesday’s Copa Libertadores match against Barcelona in Ecuador and several others, plus their coach and doctor, came down with the virus on their return.

BUENOS AIRES — The Copa Libertadores made history on Thursday with its first female officials, drafted in at the last minute to officiate in two matches after the scheduled officials tested positive for COVID-19.

Four Brazilians were among those named to run the Racing v Nacional game in Buenos Aires but they tested positive and were replaced by two Chileans and two Argentines, one of whom was assistant referee Mariana de Almeida.

The situation was repeated in the match between Argentine side Defensa y Justicia and Ecuadorean club Delfin.

After a break of 187 days due to the Covid-19 pandemic, the 2020 Copa Libertadores resumed on Tuesday, Sept. 15, with the continuation of the group stage. 

BERN — The Covid-19 pandemic is likely to cost club football $14 billion this year worldwide, around one third of its value, a leading official at global soccer body FIFA said on Wednesday.

Olli Rehn, who heads the FIFA committee set up to tackle the effects of the pandemic, said that FIFA, along with financial consultants, had estimated the club game to be worth between $40 billion and $45 billion worldwide.

It’s been almost four years since the LaMia Flight 2933 disaster which claimed the lives of 77 people, including 19 Chapecoense players. Of the three surviving players, two are still directly involved with the club.