Brazil pulled off a thrilling 2-1 victory over Chile in Thursday’s South American World Cup qualifier, with substitute Luiz Henrique scoring a decisive 89th-minute goal. The win was much-needed for the five-time world champions after a disappointing run of form, including a loss to Paraguay.
Chile struck early when Eduardo Vargas headed home a cross from Felipe Loyola in the second minute, putting the home team ahead. Brazil struggled to find their rhythm in the first half but equalized just before halftime. Savinho provided a precise cross to debutant Igor Jesus, who headed the ball past the Chilean goalkeeper to make it 1-1.
Brazil dominated the second half, creating more chances but unable to break the deadlock until Henrique, who plays for Botafogo, curled a shot from outside the box to secure the win in the final minute of regular time.
The victory lifts Brazil to fourth place in the standings with 13 points, just two behind Uruguay and eight adrift of leaders Argentina, who were held to a 1-1 draw by Venezuela earlier in the day. Lionel Messi, returning from injury, assisted Nicolás Otamendi’s opener, but Venezuela’s Salomón Rondón equalized in the second half.
Elsewhere, Bolivia continued their strong form with a 1-0 win over Colombia, despite being down to 10 men for most of the match. Miguel Terceros scored the only goal with a spectacular long-range effort, ending Colombia’s unbeaten run in the qualifiers.
Brazil’s win keeps them in contention for direct qualification to the 2026 World Cup, while Chile remains near the bottom of the standings with just five points. Only the top six teams from South America will secure automatic spots at the finals.
Be First to Comment