South American World Cup Qualifiers Recap: Uruguay No.1; Colombia Became the First Team To Beat Ecuador

By  Jessica Lopez

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We’ve got a new frontrunner after six, fam: Uruguay!! Also, Brazil is currently below the qualifying mark.

Check the table here, and below some highlights from yesterday’s qualifiers:

Colombia 3 – 1 Ecuador:

Los Cafeteros became the first team to beat Ecuador this qualifying campaign, going up 3-0 by the 67th minute thanks to a Carlos Bacca brace and this super snipe from Atlético Nacional’s Sebastián Pérez.

Club América’s Michael Arroyo salvaged a bit of pride for the visitors with his lone golazo at the buzzer to make it 3-1.

Despite not getting on the score sheet (he did assist), James Rodríguez was the heart of the Colombia attack, playing some truly sublime soccer.

Ecuador – temporarily dethroned – now sits in second with Colombia in fifth.

Uruguay 1 – 0 Peru:

Despite a valiant away effort from La Blanquirroja, Uruguay took the three points and now top the table.

Edinson Cavani netted the only goal of the match after a scoreless first half, thanks to the cheekiest flick-in assist maybe ever from Luisito Suárez. Good god.

Don’t let the scoreline totally deceive you – Peru put up a more than respectable fight. But unfortunately for them, they find themselves in eighth in the qualifying ranks.

Argentina 2 – 0 Bolivia:

The main headline here: Lionel Messi scores his 50th goal for Argentina – a penalty in the 29th minute – and produces some individual moments of pure bliss and brilliance like the one found below:

La Albiceleste was generally ? last night, outshooting La Verde with a staggering 23 shot attempts to the latter’s three, and bumping up to third in the table.

Venezuela 1 – 4 Chile:

Rómulo Otero got this game off to a wild start, putting the home side up 1-0 with this phenomenal free kick blast from way outside the box:

But La Roja found a way, ending a run of three winless qualifiers with braces from Mauricio Pinilla and Arturo Vidal. Peep superhuman Alexis’ stunning assist on Vidal’s second strike below:

The Chile boys were content with the goleada. They sit fourth in the table, with Venezuela last with a single point.

Paraguay 2 – 2 Brazil:

Brazil somehow managed to preserve a point in this one after Paraguay took a 2-0 home lead off Dario Lezcano’s second goal in three games – a clutch volley finish in the 40th – and Edgar Benítez’s power touch and strike in the 49th.

The Canarinho was dying for a lil Neymar magic. Luckily for them, his Barcelona teammate Dani Alves was able to get the thing done with a goal in extra time after Ricardo Oliveira brought the visitors within one in the 79th. Another screamer of a finish – two goals in the final 10 minutes. 2-2.

The result puts Paraguay in seventh, and Brazil one rung up in sixth. Both outside the qualifying zone.

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