Alfredo Morelos Rangers frustration set to continue as Colombia boss goes to bat for flop frontmen

Out of favour Alfredo Morelos has been given no assurances that he will be given a chance to end Colombia’s goal drought.

The snubbed striker was left out of his country’s squad by manager Reinaldo Rueda for the 1-0 home defeat to Peru which has put their World Cup chances in serious danger.

Rangers ace Morelos was ruled out of three games for his club after his call up - including the massive Old Firm showdown against Celtic on Wednesday.

In what must have been frustrating for Giovanni van Bronckhorst, Morelos was one of only four players not even stripped as he sat in the stand.

Colombia are now in serious danger of not reaching the Qatar tournament after dropping to sixth place with just four automatic spots up for grabs with just three games left.

They have now failed to score against Peru, Paraguay, Brazil twice, Ecuador and Uruguay and their next game is away to Argentina on Tuesday.

But manager Rueda has insisted he will keep faith with his misfiring strikers and has no intention of making wholesale changes for their trip to the Estadio Mario Alberto Kempes in Cordoba.

He said: "I completely understand the fans' frustrations - I am incredibly frustrated myself.

"But the important thing is not to panic. We were very unlucky and these players don't become bad ones overnight. I retain my faith in the strikers and the whole team.

"There are nine points left and we have to do everything to get them.

"We came up against a very good Peru keeper and I wouldn't have changed anything. That's football sometimes."