Santiago, Sept 10 (FN Bureau) Chile manager Ricardo Gareca said that his team is ready to revive hopes of qualifying for the 2026 FIFA World Cup after a wretched run of results.Chile are currently ninth in the 10-team South American qualifying zone with just one win from seven outings so far. But Gareca said he has seen enough to believe that a change of fortunes is imminent for La Roja. “We must keep our hopes alive,” Gareca told reporters on Monday. “This is just the beginning of our journey. While the situation is urgent, there’s still plenty of time to turn things around.”Gareca has overseen two wins, a draw and three losses since replacing Eduardo Berizzo as Chile manager in January.
Despite the poor sequence of results, Gareca is maintaining a positive attitude as his team prepares for Tuesday’s World Cup qualifier against Bolivia at Estadio Nacional in Chilean capital Santiago. “We’re facing intense moments, but we have an unmovable goal,” the 66-year-old Argentina said.” After the Bolivia game, we could find ourselves in a better position. I will not lose hope as long asthe numbers allow, and the players must fight to the death as long as that is the case, we will notgive up.” Bolivia currently occupy eighth spot in the standings, point ahead of ninth-placed Chile. “We must not underestimate any opponent. Every game is a battle, and we need to approach it with the right mindset,” Gareca added.