Bolivia’s national team went from strength to strength on Thursday to defeat Suriname in Monterrey, Mexico, in the intercontinental playoff for the 2026 World Cup and came within one win of qualifying.
Moisés Paniagua and Miguel Teceros scored for the Bolivians, after Suriname took the lead with a goal by Liam Van Gelderen.
Bolivia beats Suriname
🇧🇴 BOLIVIA BEAT SURINAME IN THE WORLD CUP PLAYOFF IN MONTERREY!
They will face IRAQ for a ticket to the World Cup. 🇮🇶
– All Fútbol MX 🇲🇽 (@AllFutbolMX) March 27, 2026
The Bolivians had possession of the ball in their favor, 68-32 in a first half in which both teams created danger at the opposing goal, but lacked accuracy.
Suriname came close to opening the scoring in the 28th minute when Gyrano Kerk came down the flank and set up Joel Piroe, who shot wide.
Enzo Monteiro arrived in the box with everything to play for in the 32nd minute and shot wide, off a pass from Ronson Matheus, in the best play of the Bolivians, who struggled in the last 15 minutes of the first half.
Kerk, Suriname’s best player, again created danger in the 34th minute with an assist to Piroe.
The defense deflected for a corner kick and kept a clean sheet in the goal defended by Guillermo Viscarra, who saved Bolivia in the 35th minute, when he deflected a ball from Myenty Abena into the net.
Suriname took the lead at the start of the second half; Van Gelderen picked up a ball after a series of rebounds and tapped right on goal for the 0-1 lead.
Bolivia was patient, improved and in the 72nd minute equalized with a goal by Paniagua at the base of the post, 1-1, after which ‘La Verde’ grew against a Surinamese team that showed fatigue.
Myenty Abena was fouled in the box, resulting in a penalty that Terceros converted with a left-footed shot in the 79th minute to give his team the win.
When Suriname was winning, its players faked fouls to buy time.
Bolivia did the same by going ahead, which led to 10 minutes of added time that passed with little soccer, the Bolivians well positioned defensively and the Surinamese exhausted.
Bolivia, which last played in the World Cup in the 1994 edition of the United States, will face Iraq next Tuesday for a ticket to the World Cup.
The winner will play in Group I against France, Senegal and Norway.
Technical data
Bolivia: Guillermo Viscarra; Efraín Morales, Luis Haquín, Roberto Fernández, Diego Medina; Gabriel Villamil, Héctor Cuéllar (Moisés Paniagua m.72), Robson Matheus (Ervin Vaca m.89); Ramiro Vaca (Diego Arroyo m.89), Miguel Terceros, Enzo Monteiros (Juan Godoy m.74).
Coach: Óscar Villegas.
Suriname: Etienne Vaessen; Myenty Abena, Stefano Denswill (Sheraldo Becker m.84), Liam Van Gelderen (Denzel Jubitanan m.86); Shaquille Pinas (Anfernee Dijksteel m.70), Jean-Paul Boëtius (Radino Balker m.46), Melayro Bogarde (Dion Malone m.84), Djavan Anderson, Tjaronn Chery; Gyrano Kerk, Joel Piroe.
Coach: Henk Ten Cate.
Goals: 0-1, 48th minute: Liam Van Gelderen; 1-1, 72nd minute: Moisés Paniagua; 2-1, 79th minute: Miguel Terceros, penalty kick.
Referee: Alireza Faghani of Australia. Yellow cards for Ramiro Vaca, Miguel Terceros, Luis Haquín; Jean-Paul Boëtius, Melayro Bogarde, Shaquille Pinas and Anfernee Dijksteel.
Incidents: Intercontinental playoff match for the 2026 World Cup between the teams of Bolivia and Suriname played at the BBVA stadium in Monterrey, northern Mexico, in front of 33,500 fans.
Filed under: Bolivia beats Suriname
With information from EFE
