- REUTERS
Ecuador's Luis Valencia (right) scores past diving Peruvian goalkeeper Oscar Ibanez in the Lima National Stadium on Wednesday night. The match ended 2-2.RIO DE JANEIRO, (Reuters):
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 night'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.
TWO GOALS DOWN
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.
COLOMBIA DEFENCE
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 made 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.
