Chelsea star Moises Caicedo in suspension nightmare after two red cards shown

Moises Caicedo was shown the red card in front of his mother as Ecuador triumphed over Argentina, with the Chelsea midfielder now set to miss the start of his country's World Cup campaign. The 23-year-old's evening began with a deeply emotional moment, but quickly took a turn for the worse when he was sent off just five minutes into the second half. This dismissal could potentially jeopardise his dream of playing in next summer's World Cup.

Before the match started, the Chelsea star's mother, Carmen, walked onto the pitch to deliver the match ball to the referee, soaking up the atmosphere from the 59,000 spectators inside the Estadio Monumental. She blew kisses to the crowd before heading back towards the tunnel, where her son ran over to meet her.

They hugged and kissed each other on the cheeks before Caicedo prepared to face the World Cup holders. However, his performance didn't even last an hour.

Already on a yellow card, Caicedo caught Nicolas Gonzalez with a stray boot during a challenge.

Despite protests from the home side, referee Wilmar Roldan showed him a second yellow card. This means the midfielder is now set to miss Ecuador's first match at the 2026 World Cup due to suspension.

Caicedo wasn't the only player to be sent off. Both teams ended the match with ten men after Nicolas Otamendi was dismissed in the first half.

For the latest breaking stories and headlines, sign up to our Daily Express transfer newsletter.

Despite this, Ecuador managed to secure an impressive victory, breaking a streak of four consecutive goalless draws, with Enner Valencia's penalty deep into first-half stoppage time proving decisive.

Ecuador have secured their spot in the South American World Cup qualifying campaign, finishing second only to Argentina.

Joining Ecuador and Argentina, four other nations - Colombia, Uruguay, Brazil and Paraguay - have all confirmed their participation in next summer's tournament in North America.

Chelsea's star player, Caicedo, will be looking forward to the World Cup after a successful season with the Blues. Last season, he played a crucial role in securing Chelsea's place in the Europa Conference League and qualifying for the Champions League.

The Ecuadorian has been a standout performer this season, helping keep the Blues unbeaten.