Colombia terminate Alvarez as coach

The Colombian Football Federation (FCF) terminated the contract of national team coach Leonel Alvarez today after a poor start to their 2014 FIFA World Cup Brazil™ qualifying campaign. "This is a unanimous decision, brought about because of the team's recent results and our analysis of reports on their performances," said FCF president Luis Bedoya. "We thought now was the time to try and put things right. "Sadly we have decided today to terminate Leonel Alvarez's contract and begin the search for a new coach of the national team." Under Alvarez, Colombia have played three qualifiers, beating Bolivia 2-1 away and drawing 1-1 at home to Venezuela before losing 2-1 to Argentina, also at home. As a result, the Cafeteros lie sixth in the nine-nation South American qualifying competition as they bid to qualify for their first FIFA World Cup finals since 1998. Alvarez had replaced Hernan Dario Gomez, who quit his post in August.