Football
19y

WRAPUP 1-Paraguay, Ecuador close to W.Cup, scramble for playoff

By Brian Homewood

RIO DE JANEIRO, March 30 - Ecuador and Paraguay
emerged favourites to join Argentina and Brazil as South
America's representatives at next year's World Cup after good
results in Wednesday's qualifiers.

Third-placed Ecuador drew 2-2 in Peru, helped by an
astonishing late miss from Peruvian substitute Andres Mendoza,
while Paraguay stayed fourth with a 2-1 win at home to Chile.

Argentina stayed top of the 10-nation group with a
hard-fought 1-0 win over a defensive, 10-man Colombia in Buenos
Aires and world champions Brazil drew 1-1 in Uruguay with the
help of a controversial equaliser from Emerson.

The top four teams in the 10-nation group go straight to
Germany and Argentina, leaders with 28 points, and Brazil,
second with 24, are all but mathematically qualified.

Ecuador, with 20, are also very handily placed while
Paraguay (19) have opened up a three-point gap between
themselves and fifth-placed Uruguay.

The other five teams now appear to be fighting for fifth
spot which earns a two-leg playoff against the Oceania region
winners and the chance of another place.

Only three points separate Uruguay (16) from bottom-placed
Bolivia (13). Colombia, Peru, Chile and Venezuela are sandwiched
between, all on 14 points.

COMEBACK SPECIALISTS

Ecuador, who bounced back from two goals down to hammer
Paraguay 5-2 last Sunday, showed a similar quality in Lima.

Paolo Guerrero gave Peru a second minute lead but
England-based Ulises de la Cruz headed Ecuador level within a
minute and 19-year-old Antonio Valencia took advantage of
shambolic defending to put Ecuador ahead in first-half injury
time.

Dutch-based Jefferson Farfan equalised in the 58th minute
and Peru had a golden chance to snatch three points in the 89th
minute.

Ukrainian-based Mendoza forced his way past goalkeeper Edwin
Villafuerte and found himself two metres in front of an open
goal, only to miss his kick altogether as he tried to deftly
flick it into the net.

Paraguay, attempting to reach their third successive World
Cup, bounced back in Asuncion with goals by Gustavo Morinigo and
Jose Cardozo, who took his tally in the competition to seven.

Defender Luis Fuentes pulled one back for Chile, whose coach
Juvenal Olmos had to field questions on his future after a
seventh qualifying game with a win.

"You can't just start something and then, when things get
complicated, say 'that's it, I'm off'," said Olmos, denying that
he was going to quit.

Argentina struggled to break down a well-marshalled Colombia
defence, Hernan Crespo finally making the breakthrough in the
65th minute as he swept home Luciano Galletti's low cross.

The visitors had midfielder Fabian Vargas sent off in the
41st minute as he picked up two yellow cards in eight minutes,
both for hacking down Javier Saviola.

Instead of making life easier for Argentina, the dismissal
merely mad the visitors defend even more doggedly.

Uruguay and Brazil produced a stirring match in Montevideo,
Diego Forlan putting the hosts in front in the 49th minute and
Emerson levelling in the 68th amid claims of offside.

Brazil, who have never beaten Uruguay away in a competitive
match, dominated the closing stages.

"We could have won but we ended up with a draw because of a
referee's mistake, and when they score that way, it hurts more,"
said Fossati.

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