2002 World Cup - Venezuela 4 Bolivia 2

Bolivia collapsed in Maracaibo to lose 4-2 to Venezuela in a CONMEBOL 2002 World Cup qualifier.

Each side had a man sent off but Venezuela were able to find some scoring touch at last and hit their first goals of a 2002 campaign that already looks hopeless.

The home side took the lead in the 23rd minute when Miguel Vitali was at the far post to meet a low cross and in the 39th minute Edson Tortolero picked out Ruberth Moran with a deep cross for the striker to stab the ball into the net.

Bolivian substitute Jaime Moreno brought his team back into the game with a 50th minute curling shot from long range that went in off the cross bar and four minutes later they were level.

Ecuador failed to clear a high cross and the ball went into a melee in front of goal where Julio Cesar Baldivieso reacted quickly to drive the ball in.

The visitors then saw goalkeeper Carlos Fernandez throw the ball to a waiting Moran to shoot. Fernandez recovered to save the 61st minute shot but Giovanni Savarese followed the rebound into the net.

Moran was red carded for a second booking after attempting to obstruct a free kick and in the 69th minute Tortolero converted a penalty to seal the win for Venezuela after Gabriel Urdaneta was felled in the area. Urdaneta came in for more punishment with fifteen minutes to go when Cristaldo was sent off for elbowing the forward in the head.