Paraguay’s Derlis Gonzalez (left) vies for the ball with Argentina’s Mateo Mussacchio during their Russia 2018 World Cup qualifier football match at Alberto Kempes Stadium in Cordoba, Argentina, on Tuesday.
Montevideo: Brazil powered to the top of the table in South America’s 2018 World Cup qualifying race on Tuesday with a victory over Venezuela as Argentina suffered a shock defeat at home to Paraguay.
Goals from Manchester City teenager Gabriel Jesus and Chelsea’s Willian secured a 2-0 win over Venezuela in a match interrupted by a lengthy floodlight failure that plunged Merida’s Estadio Metropolitano into darkness.
The victory was Brazil’s fourth consecutive win of the qualifying campaign and left the five-time world champions on top of the standings with 21 points after 10 games.
It is the first time since qualifying began that Brazil have led the standings, and the team look firmly on course to maintain their record of never having failed to qualify for a World Cup.
The acid test of Brazil’s renaissance is likely to come next month when they play old rivals Argentina, who stumbled to a 1-0 defeat at home to Paraguay in Cordoba.
A superb counter-attacking goal from striker Derlis Gonzalez on 18 minutes was enough to give Paraguay all three points as the hosts once again struggled to cope with the absence of Lionel Messi.
Argentina have taken just two points from a possible nine in their past three matches, all played without Barcelona star Messi.
The win left Paraguay just one point behind Argentina in the standings after 10 games. Argentina occupy the fifth qualifying spot in the table with 16 points, with Paraguay just behind on 15 points.
Chile, meanwhile, remain outside the qualification places despite their 2-1 victory over Peru in Santiago in the regional derby known as the “Clasico del Pacifico.”
Bayern Munich midfielder Atrudo Vidal got “La Roja” off to a dream start, heading home on 10 minutes to put Chile 1-0 up.
But a bold second half display from Peru was rewarded on 76 minutes when Edison Flores skipped clear on the edge of the area to rifle home a low shot to make it 1-1.
It seemed as though Peru had done enough for a share of the points but with time running out, Vidal found space near the edge of the penalty area and lashed home a low shot to beat Pedro Gallese.
Chile’s win leaves them seventh in the standings with 14 points, two points from the qualification places.
Earlier, leaders Uruguay were held to a 2-2 draw by fourth placed Colombia in an entertaining duel in rain-swept Barranquilla.
In La Paz, two goals from Everton striker Enner Valencia capped a tumultuous week for the England-based player as Ecuador came from 2-0 down to grab a 2-2 draw with Bolivia. Valencia lashed home an 89th-minute strike to earn Ecuador a point after earlier giving his team hope with a 48th-minute goal. Bolivia had taken a 2-0 lead through 38-year-old striker Pablo Escobar.
Valencia’s goals capped a dramatic week of duty with the international team. Last week, the 26-year-old was at the center of a bizarre incident during his team’s win over Chile in Quito when he was accused of feigning injury to avoid police officers waiting on the sidelines to arrest him in connection with an alimony dispute.
