Venezuela footballers 'laid low' by 'stomach bug' ahead of must-win World Cup qualifier

Most of the members of the Venezuela national football team have reportedly been laid low by a stomach bug ahead of their vital World Cup qualifier against Chile on Saturday.

According to Metro.co.uk, the setback is a disaster for the team coach Cesar Farias, who is aware that a win is vital if his side is to have any hope of finally making an appearance in the finals of a World Cup.

The report further said that 20 of the players, which is almost the entire side, have fallen victim to the bug, although Farias said that the team did not have a good night for which they were not able to train well.

According to the report, Venezuela, the only South American team never to have played at the World Cup, are currently sixth in the nine-team South American group five points behind their hosts.

The top four teams qualify directly for the World Cup, which is will be hosted by Brazil next summer, with the fifth-placed team entering a play-off over two legs with the team that finishes fifth in Asian qualifying, the report added.