Luis Diaz signed to return for Colombia against Brazil

Uruguay won 2-0 against champions Argentina on Thursday and Colombia beat Brazil 2-1 at home in a comeback from signing Luis Diaz in the fifth South American qualifying round for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

In a flurry of strong emotions, the Celeste team achieved their first triumph on Argentine soil since 1989 against a team led by Lionel Scaloni, who have not conceded a goal in the eight games they have played since winning the title in Qatar in 2022.

Led by Argentine Marcelo Bielsa, the team performed at a high level in the mythical La Bombonera, winning thanks to goals from defender Ronald Araujo in the 41st minute and ex-Benfica striker Darwin Nunez in the 87th minute.

The home side, uninspired, had little more than a response to “captain” Lionel Messi’s isolated efforts, namely two free kicks from inside the 10, one canceled out by the wall in the 23rd minute and the other by the crossbar in the 57th. .

With Otamendi, who suffered from Darwin’s speed, from the start and Di Maria from the 53rd minute, Argentina did not avoid a second defeat in their last 52 games (another 37 wins and 13 draws) after a 2-0 draw with Brazil. July 3, 2019

Despite the defeat, Argentina retains the lead in the South American qualifying zone for the 2016 World Cup with 12 points against 10 for Uruguay, which has risen to second place.

Colombia are now in third place with nine points thanks to former Porto player Luis Diaz, who after much effort destroyed Brazil with two well-aimed headers in the closing stages of the match, in the 75th and 79th minutes. .

With his father, recently abducted and then freed, in the stands in Barranquilla, Diaz scored after crosses from Braga’s Cristian Borja, who came on at half-time, and former Porto player James Rodriguez respectively.

The Liverpool man’s brace allowed Colombia, who had drawn three, to make their debut by beating Brazil in World Cup qualifying and handing the Brazilians an unprecedented second successive qualifying defeat after a 2-0 draw in Uruguay. .

The Canarinha team, which featured Porto’s Pepe from the 81st minute (he replaced Renan Lodi), scored first after just four minutes, thanks to Gabriel Martinelli after playing with Vinicius Junior, who was injured in the 26th minute .

In a classification that qualifies the top six directly for the 2016 World Cup and takes seventh place in the intercontinental “play-offs”, the Canarinha dropped to fifth place with seven points, also behind Venezuela, which rose to fourth place with eight.

The Venezuelans scored for the fourth game in a row – after 0:1 in Colombia – as did Ecuador, which remains in sixth place, last in direct qualification, not with eight points scored, but with five, since they lost three in the “secretary”.

In seventh place, also with five points, is Paraguay, which, despite being outnumbered from the 44th to the 88th minute, achieved a 0-0 draw with Chile, which remains in eighth place, also with five points.

In the opening round bout between the bottom two, Bolivia took their first points after four defeats and handed the red lantern spot to Peru by defeating the Peruvians in Laz 2–0, scoring a goal in each half.

Henry Vaca in the 20th minute and Ramiro Vaca in the 87th minute sealed a fourth straight defeat for the Peruvians, who started with a promising 0-0 draw in Paraguay.