SANTIAGO. Oct 9 (Reuter): Chile President Eduardo Frei on Wednesday appealed to the na tional soccer teams of his own country and of Peru to abandon a heated war of words which has accompanied the run-up to Sundays key World Cup qualifier.

The two Pacific nations, both of whom made their last World Cup appearances in 1982, clash in Santiago on Sunday with the winners taking a large step towards next year’s finals in France.

The two squads have been training amid a bitter atmosphere of war-like rhetoric with promises of a heroic victory and accusations of witchcraft thrown in.

The atmosphere has brought back memories of the "War of the Pacific" in the last century when Chile defeated Peru in a four-year war and made off with two nitrate-rich provinces in the Atacama desert.

This is a football match, it is a sport and it does not make sense to treat it as guerilla war-

fare between two brother nations, we have to keep a sense oi proportion.” said Frei.

’’Sport is important in life but we mustn’t create a warlike atmospheres."

Almost simultaneously, however. Chile coach Nelson Acosta was telling Peruvian journalists: You started all this... our country is more educated than yours.”

Chilean newspapers have reproduced articles published by their Peruvian counterparts telling how witches have cast spells on Chile's star players Ivan Zamorano and Marcelo Salas.

Zamorano, who has scored 12 of Chile's 25 goals in the qualifiers, has already been ruled out of the match through injury while Salas is fighting to be fit in time.

Peru coach Juan Carlos Obli-tas had set the ball rolling by claiming that "Peru will have to play very badly to lose in Santiago."

"Chile is a desperate team, and there is no cure for desperation. It is a team that generally loses." he added.

Zamorano, who said the

biggest regret about not playing would be that he would not be able to see the expression on Oblitas' face when Peru lose, has led the Chilean replies.

Every day. Oblitas sends us messages." ne said. "But on Sunday, we re going to beat Peru and their arrogance."

On Wednesday, however. Oblitas. who played for Peru in the 1978 World Cup, toned down his comments and appealed for national anthems not to be played to avoid inflaming nationalist passions.

'This sort of atmosphere is normal before this type of match but there has been too much talking." he said.

Argentina, Colombia and Paraguay have already claimed three of the four South American places at the World Cup.

Peru are fourth in the table, three points ahead of Chile and will qualify automatically if they win the match.

If the match is drawn. Peru will need to win their last game at home to Paraguay while a win for Chile will leave them needing a home win against modest Bolivia in their last match to qualify.