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Chile striker scores controversial goal against Bolivia

Chile striker Eduardo Vargas scored a controversial goal against Bolivia after he refused to stop playing when the opposition goalkeeper went down injured. 

His side eventually slipped to a shock home defeat after Miguel Terceros helped Bolivia regain the lead in stoppage time at the end of the first-half.

This gave them a first win in Chile in their history and a first away win in a World Cup qualifier since 1993.

Both teams remain well off the pace, however, in the battle for a place at the 2026 World Cup in the United States, Mexico and Canada, although the away side did leapfrog their rivals in the table, having won nine points from eight matches.

But the international tie will forever be remembered for the manner in which Chile scored their equaliser, with the incident leading to a fierce scuffle immediately after.

Chile striker Eduardo Vargas scored a controversial goal against Bolivia after he refused to stop playing when the opposition goalkeeper went down injured

His side eventually slipped to a shock home defeat after Miguel Terceros helped the opposition regain the lead in stoppage time

But the international tie will forever be remembered for the manner in which Chile scored their equaliser

Receiving the ball just outside his area in the 39th minute, Carlos Lampe falls to the floor and immediately raises his arm in the air to signal that he needs assistance from the bench.

Vargas, who is charging the goalkeeper down, completely ignores this however and races onto the ball before walking it into the net.

The contentious nature of the equaliser was exacerbated by a joyous celebration which sees the forward raise his arms into the air as the ball rolls in before forming a love heart with his hands which he shows to the ecstatic crowd. 

This caused a massive fracas involving both sets of players. First, Bolivian midfielder Robson Matheus races across to Vargas and expresses his disapproval with the manner in which he scored.

Referee Juan Gabriel Benítez, from Paraguay, then struggles to keep a lid on the players' emotions with men from each side pushing and shoving one another, as the away keeper Gabriel Arias sprints the length of the pitch to get in on the action.

Vargas then doubles down on the celebration, appearing to cheer as he runs away from the hubbub - before returning to fray to make his opinions clear once again.

All the while, Lampe lies almost motionless on the turf and the goalkeeper was later found to have totally ruptured his right Achilles tendon, infobae reports.

The Bolivian team said in a statement: 'The operation will be carried out at the MEDS Clinic in Santiago, Chile, at the end of the afternoon on Wednesday, September 11, in order to immediately begin the recovery process.'

The keeper was then stretchered off, visibly emotional with his head in his hands, as the brawl continued.

The goal was allowed to stand as Benitez saw no need to give a foul and the incident did not involve a head injury. Therefore, play was allowed to continue and Vargas could stroll the ball into an open net unchallenged.

The contentious equaliser caused a massive fracas involving both sets of players

The keeper was then stretchered off, visibly emotional with his head in his hands, as the brawl continued

Vargas might be familiar to some British onlookers, with the comabtive striker once turning out for Queen's Park Rangers

Immediately after the bizarre goal, Bolivia got their redemption with Miguelito completing an exceptional move to restore the lead. 

There had been discussion between the two captains, which some interpreted as involving a potential walk-in goal for the away side, but clearly no agreement was reached. 

Vargas might be familiar to some British onlookers, with the comabtive striker once playing for Queen's Park Rangers, making 21 appearances and scoring three goals.

Source: dailymail.co.uk

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