Lacklustre Brazil pulled off a last-gasp 2-1 away victory over Chile in the South American World Cup qualifiers on Thursday, thanks to a goal by substitute Luiz Henrique in the 89th minute.

Off the back of a disappointing loss to Paraguay and losing four of their last five qualifiers with a series of poor performances, Brazil had to recover from a goal down as Eduardo Vargas put the locals in front with a fine header from a Felipe Loyola cross in the second minute.

Chile wasted chances to extend their lead, but Brazil managed to find the equaliser in added time before the break, when Savinho made a good run down the right and crossed to Igor Jesus who nodded a towering header past the goalkeeper, scoring on his first call-up for the national team.

Brazil controlled the second half and found a duly deserved winner late with a fine effort by Jesus’ teammate at Brazilian league leaders and Copa Libertadores semi-finalists Botafogo Luiz Henrique, who slotted a curling strike from the edge of the box to rescue the five-time World Cup champions three much needed points.

The victory lifted Brazil to fourth in the standings with 13 points, two behind Uruguay and eight from leaders Argentina. Chile are second from bottom on five points.

Earlier on Thursday, leaders Argentina were held to a 1-1 draw against Venezuela in Lionel Messi’s return to international duty from an injury.

The Argentine captain brilliantly assisted Nicolas Otamendi on a drenched pitch to open the scoring 13 minutes after kick-off, but a relentless Venezuela fought back to equalise with a Salomon Rondon’s header in the second half.

In-form Bolivia grabbed a gritty 1-0 win, their third successive victory, handing second-placed Colombia their first loss in the qualifiers.

Trying to end a 13-game winless run against their opponents, Bolivia started well but had to play most of the game with 10 men as Hector Cuellar was sent off with a straight red card for bringing striker Roger Martinez down as the last man in the 20th minute.

However, the fierce locals managed to find the winner in a stunning strike by Miguel Terceros, who dominated near the right touchline, cutting inside to beat two Colombian defenders before unleashing a fine left-footed strike that flew into the top-left corner in the 58th minute

Argentina are on top of the standings on 19 points, three ahead of Colombia and four from third-place Uruguay, who have a game in hand and will face last-placed Peru on Friday.

Brazil climbed to fourth, leapfrogging Ecuador, who are in fifth place on 12 points following a goalless draw against Paraguay.

Bolivia are behind Ecuador on goal difference in sixth, followed by Venezuela with a point behind in seventh. Only the top six are guaranteed a berth at the 2026 finals.

-Reuters

Argentina were held to a 1-1 draw against Venezuela on Thursday in Lionel Messi’s return to international duty in the South America’s World Cup qualifiers.

Captain Messi, 37, fully recovered from an injury sustained in the Copa America final against Colombia in July, was brilliant in setting up Otamendi on a drenched pitch to open the scoring 13 minutes after kick-off, which was delayed by half an hour due to heavy rain.

Argentina goalkeeper Geronimo Rulli, filling in for Emiliano ‘Dibu’ Martinez, who is serving a two-match ban for offensive behaviour, produced a fine performance to keep out Salomon Rondon’s first-half efforts.

However, the determined Venezuelan striker equalised in the second half with an exceptional header from a Yeferson Soteldo’s cross to temporarily move his team to sixth in the standings with 11 points.

Argentina sought a winner after boss Lionel Scaloni introduced Leandro Paredes and Lautaro Martinez five minutes from time, but the soggy pitch only increased the World Cup winners’ shortcomings.

“It was an ugly match. We couldn’t even make two passes in a row, the ball stopped because of the water on the pitch. It is difficult to play in these conditions, the pitch did not help,” Messi told TyC Sports after the game.

“The best conditions for us to play is that there is a good pitch, good weather, that the ball runs. We don’t ask for much, do we?” added defender Rodrigo De Paul.

Argentina remain top of the standings with 19 points and will face Bolivia on Tuesday, while Venezuela visit Paraguay.

-Reuters

Brazil are in unfamiliar territory, grappling with mounting pressure and uncertainty as they prepare for crucial World Cup qualifiers against Chile and Peru, without the help of key players sidelined by injuries.

After losing four of their last five qualifiers with a series of poor performances, the record five-times World Cup winners are fifth in the standings on 10 points, ahead of Venezuela on goal difference in sixth. Only the top six are guaranteed a berth at the 2026 finals.

Paraguay and Bolivia are one point behind and another slip-up by Brazil could leave them out of the qualification places and at risk of missing out on the World Cup for the first time in their history.

Manager Dorival Jr, who was appointed in January after the team spent a year under two caretaker coaches as the Brazilian FA tried and failed to lure Italian Carlo Ancelotti from Real Madrid, has won only two competitive games.

Following a lacklustre Copa America campaign, when they were knocked out in the quarter finals by Uruguay, Brazil snatched a narrow home win over Ecuador last month.

Yet they came crashing back to earth days later with another poor performance, losing 1-0 to a Paraguay side who had only scored once in their previous seven qualifiers.

The inconsistency that has plagued Brazil since they let coach Tite go following a penalty shootout defeat to Croatia in the Qatar World Cup quarter-finals has continued with the side winning only four of their last 14 games.

Dorival was forced to make five changes to his initial squad for the games against Chile in Santiago on Thursday and against Peru in Brasilia on Tuesday, after goalkeeper Alisson, defenders Bremer, Eder Militao and Guilherme Arana, and forward Vinicius Jr all suffered injuries.

On Wednesday, the coach made the surprise announcement that Botafogo forward Igor Jesus would start up-front against Chile on his first call-up for the national team, leaving Real Madrid teenager Endrick on the bench.

“What I see is that Igor’s moment is very interesting, Endrick is still getting to know his new club, he’s arriving at the biggest club in world football with a lot of competition,” Dorival told reporters.

The 23-year-old Jesus has been a stand-out talent for the Brazilian league leaders and Copa Libertadores semi-finalists since signing for Botafogo from Emirati club Shabab Al-Ahli in July, scoring seven goals in 19 games.

“I think that Igor’s own experience and the moment he’s living is a little different,” Dorival added. “Maybe it’s important to have players with this profile for a game of this magnitude and at this time.

“Sometimes we can’t replicate on the pitch everything that we do in training, but on Tuesday we had another training session that filled us with great expectation. Maybe this is the moment to find the balance we want.”

Chile are ninth in South America’s World Cup qualifying standings on five points, two points ahead of last-placed Peru.

Brazil team to face Chile: Ederson; Danilo, Marquinhos, Gabriel Magalhaes, Abner; Andre, Lucas Paqueta; Savinho, Raphinha, Rodrygo, Igor Jesus.

-Reuters