Soon-to-be-Chelsea player Kendry Paez became the youngest South American to score in a World Cup qualifier as Ecuador won 2-1 against Bolivia on Thursday night.
The midfielder, aged 16 years and 161 days, scored the opener a minute before half-time in La Paz, in what was only his second appearance for his country.
Paez was sent through on goal by future club teammate Moises Caicedo before he slotted the ball calmly past Bolivia keeper Guillermo Viscarra with his left foot.
The teenager made his international debut against Uruguay last month, and he played a key role in that game as well, providing an assist for Felix Torres’s winner in another 2-1 victory.
When can Chelsea fans expect to see Paez playing for the Blues?
That means the only glimpses that supporters will get of Paez will be playing for his country until he makes the permanent move to England in the summer of 2025.
Paez wasn’t the only Chelsea star who impressed for Ecuador
As we have already mentioned, Caicedo provided the assist for Paez’s record-breaking goal, but he was on hand to set up Ecuador’s crucial second as well.
Bolivia’s Rodrigo Ramallo had equalised to make it 1-1 heading into the closing stages of the match, but Caicedo’s lofted through ball found striker Kevin Rodriguez in the box deep into injury time and he cooly stuck the ball away to seal a last-gasp win.
The three points mean that Ecuador have won two of their opening three World Cup qualifiers, but a points deduction means they are only on 3 points, sitting 7th in the table.
Watch a recap of the weekend action in the Premier League on Shots! TV here
