MONTEVIDEO: Uruguay became the final team to qualify for the 2014 FIFA World Cup Brazil™ after being held 0-0 at home by Jordan in Montevideo.

The Jordanians went home proud of their own success in withstanding a Celeste onslaught in the Estadio Centenario which hosted the inaugural World Cup Final in 1930. Uruguay had won the first leg, in Amman, by 5-0 and thus went through by that score on aggregate.

Uruguay joined Brazil, Argentina, Colombia, Ecuador and Chile as South America representatives at the finals in Brazil next June and wrapped up a play-offs saga which had earlier seen Mexico qualify with a 4-2 win in New Zealand (7-2 on agg).

Only a few months earlier, 2010 World Cup semi-finalists Uruguay had been struggling to qualify, scraping into fifth place after mounting a late rally which saw them win four out of their five final qualifiers.

The tone for Wednesday’s match was set early on with Mohammed Aldmeiri and Adnan Hasan both booked by the referee in the first half for some wild tackles but Uruguay meanwhile struggled to penetrate a resolute Jordanian defence.

Close calls

Defender Diego Godin had the best chance for Uruguay, hitting the bar with a close-range header just on half-time.

The pattern was repeated in the second half, with captain Diego Lugano going closest on 60 minutes, rising unmarked to meet a corner but steering a downward header just wide.

The introduction of Uruguay veteran Diego Forlan for Nicolas Lodeiro just after the hour made no ultimate difference.

Jordanian Football Association president Prince Ali bin Al-Hussein, said: “Drawing with Uruguay in Montevideo is an achievement we must be proud of, proves our Nashama are capable of competing with world class teams. Let us now focus on continuing our football journey for the Asian Cup qualifiers and the upcoming West Asia’s competition.”

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