Colombia fires coach Rueda after failing to reach World Cup

BOGOTA, Colombia (AP) — Colombia coach Reinaldo Rueda was sacked on Monday after failing to qualify the team for the World Cup in Qatar.

The Colombian Football Federation in a statement said Rueda's assistants also left their positions.

The federation said it will begin searching for a successor to 65-year-old Rueda, who had the job for 15 months.

Colombia finished South American World Cup qualifying in sixth position, one point behind Peru, which faces a qualifying playoff against an Asian team.

Rueda's first stint with his country’s national team was from 2004-06. He also coached Honduras at the 2010 World Cup in South Africa, and took Ecuador to the 2014 World Cup in Brazil.

He resigned as Chile coach to replace Carlos Queiroz in the Colombia job.

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