Herrera free to challenge for World Cup spot
Universidad de Chile keeper Johnny Herrera can be selected for the World Cup after receiving a suspended sentence for drink-driving.
The controversial keeper had been detained by police in the ´Fiestas Patrias´ of 2012 when he was leaving a nightclub in Maitencillo.
The public prosecutor´s office had sought two years´ jail for the 32-year-old keeper, but he was only given a suspended sentence of 150 days.
In addition, Herrera´s driving licence has been revoked for two years and he´s been fined 10 UTM.
However, there is nothing to stop the goalkeeper leaving the country and appearing for Chile in the World Cup, if called upon by boss Jorge Sampaoli.
And it’s more than likely that ex-Universidad de Chile boss Sampaoli will want Herrera as his back-up to first choice Claudio Bravo.
Herrera was one of ten domestic players called up by Sampaoli at the weekend and this group – plus Mexican-based Rodrigo Millar – will start training on Friday.
Aside from Herrera and Millar, the others are:
Goalkeepers: Paulo Garcés (O´Higgins) and Cristopher Toselli (Universidad Católica). Defenders: José Rojas (Universidad de Chile), Enzo Andía (Universidad Católica) and Marcos González (Unión Española). Midfielders: Pedro Pablo Hernández (O’Higgins) and José Pedro Fuenzalida (Colo Colo). Strikers: Gustavo Canales (Unión Española) and Esteban Paredes (Colo Colo).
The Chile boss will name a preliminary squad of 30 players on May 13 before whittling it down to his final 23 on June 2.
La Roja open their World Cup campaign with a Group B match against Australia on June 13.
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