Brazil getting back to old form
Brazil powered to the top of the standings in South America’s 2018 World Cup qualifying race on Tuesday with a 2-0 victory over Venezuela, while Argentina lost 1-0 at home to Paraguay.
Goals from Manchester City teenager Gabriel Jesus and Chelsea’s Willian secured Brazil’s triumph in a match interrupted by a lengthy floodlight failure that plunged Merida’s Estadio Metropolitano into darkness.
The victory was Brazil’s fourth straight in the qualifying campaign and left the fivetime world champion on top of the standings with 21 points after 10 games.
The win was the latest evidence of Brazil’s resurgence under new coach Tite, who took over following the firing of Dunga in June after the Selecao’s Copa America Centenario flop.
It is the first time since qualifying began that Brazil has led the standings, and the team looks firmly on course to maintain its record of never having failed to qualify for a World Cup.