Bolivia turned a deficit into a 2-1 victory over Suriname in the semi-final of the intercontinental playoff in Monterrey on Thursday, keeping alive their hopes of a first appearance at the FIFA World Cup since 1994. The South American team will face Iraq in the playoff final on Tuesday to compete for a spot in the finals and join Group 9. Meanwhile, Suriname's attempt to reach the finals for the first time came to an end after they squandered their early lead in the second half. Suriname took the lead three minutes into the second half when Liam van Gelderen was quickest to react to a loose ball in the penalty area, capitalizing on a mistake by goalkeeper Guillermo Viscara as he failed to control or clear the ball, slotting it in from close range. Substitute Moses Banjaku equalized for Bolivia in the 72nd minute, capitalizing on a rebound to fire a low shot into the far corner. Bolivia was awarded a penalty after Juan Godoy was brought down by Menty Apina, and Miguel Terceros converted it with 11 minutes remaining to complete his team's comeback. The match was held at the BBVA Stadium in Monterrey in front of a predominantly Bolivian crowd and saw the presence of FIFA President Gianni Infantino, offering a glimpse of the venue that is set to host four World Cup matches.
