By Daniel Feuerstein | Monterrey, MX | March 26th, 2026
The first of two FIFA Intercontinental Playoff Semi-Finals matches that are played in Mexico started with a matchup between CONMEBOL’s Bolivia as they faced CONCACAF’s Suriname at the Estadio BBVA in Monterrey, Mexico. These two sides represent the Americas, which were ready to battle it out to move on to the final match and face Iraq of Asia on Tuesday. After a thrilling match that had everything you wanted, it was Bolivia who came out on top as they defeated the Dutch South American side by a final score of two goals to one.
Game Recap
Suriname was the aggressor in the first half, but nothing to show for it until the halftime whistle. Once the match restarted, Suriname found that big goal to take the lead early in the second half. A throw-in along the far side touchline for Suriname was brought back into play. They stayed outside the Bolivian area until they sprang into an attacking chance. Once they got in, two shots were taken, and there was a block, then a save, but somehow the rebound was loose, and Liam van Gelderen toe pokes the ball in the net in the 48th minute.
Throughout the match, Bolivia was trying to get the equalizer, and Bolivian head coach Oscar Villegas made a tactical substitution, bringing in Moises Paniagua for Hector Cuellar in the 59th minute. That move changed the fortunes of the South American side as they kept going in the second half. The ball was brought down the pitch along the near side. Then crossed to the middle of the pitch. The original shot was blocked, but Paniagua got the loose ball and shot it inside the near post. Somehow, Etienne Vaessen misjudged the shot and failed to get in front of it. in the 72nd minute.
Then Bolivia took the lead seven minutes later as the Suriname defender Leo Abena took down Juan Godoy inside the area when the ball was played from the near side and crossed inside the Suriname area in the 78th minute. Vaessen was dancing left and right on his line, trying to distract the penalty kick taker. Miguel Terceros ran up to the spot and smashed the ball inside the near post in the 79th minute. After ten minutes of second half stoppage time, the final whistle blew, and Bolivia will return to the Estadio BBVA and face Iraq on Tuesday, March 31st.
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