Uruguay face last WC qualifiers with 12 men on one booking

A dozen Uruguay players, including striker Edinson Cavani, are on the verge of suspension with one yellow card to their names going into their final soccer World Cup qualifiers this month.

A dozen Uruguay players, including striker Edinson Cavani, are on the verge of suspension with one yellow card to their names going into their final soccer World Cup qualifiers in October.

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Uruguay play away to Ecuador on October 11 in the tough, high-altitude Atahualpa arena in Quito and can ill afford to lose players for their last qualifier at home to Argentina at the Centenario in Montevideo four days later.

Other veterans of Uruguay's fourth place at the 2010 finals in South Africa one booking away from suspension include right back Maxi Pereira and defensive midfielders Diego Perez, Walter Gargano and Alvaro Pereira in a 26-man squad named by the Uruguayan Football Association on Wednesday.

Uruguay are fifth in the South American group, seven points behind leaders Argentina, who have qualified, and level with fourth-placed Ecuador. Colombia are second with 26 points and Chile third on 24.

The top four teams after the remaining two matches go through to next year's finals in Brazil with the team in fifth place meeting Jordan in a two-legged playoff in November for one more berth.