Well in-form Fabian Balbuena was part of the Paraguayan team which maintained their unbeaten start to the 2022 World Cup Finals.
He was involved throughout as the team battled to a 2-2 draw against Bolivia.
The General is right back to his best and well in favour for the Hammers and it’s great that he has now become a part of his international set-up having been left on the sidelines in earlier matches this year.
This was his 16th cap in what turned out to be a thoroughly entertaining game with the lead swapping over the 90 minutes.
Angel Romero put the Paraguayans in front with a 19th-minute penalty before Marcelo Moreno levelled four minutes before the half time.
Boris Cespedes then gave the Bolivians a lead but Balbuena and his side came back well after the break to grab a point from a fiercely fought affair.
New York Red Bulls forward Kaku notched the important equaliser 18 minutes from time, meaning his team now have a win and three draws from their opening four qualifiers.
Their six-point haul leaves them fourth in the table at this early stage of the qualification process.
It’s impossible to have anything but admiration for The General given that he was being widely tipped as a summer departure when manager David Moyes was hunting for central defenders.
Word was that he was not fancied by the manager and that he is now a first-team regular and performing so well for his country is an excellent development as we move ahead with the season after the break.
To have kept Issa Diop out of the team is some achievement.