Maradona's Argentina slump

Left-back Walter Ayovi, with a superb 25-metre strike, and Pablo Palacios scored in the last 20 minutes to hand Argentina their second defeat in four World Cup qualifiers under Diego Maradona.

Lionel Messi (pictured) also squandered a superb early chance for Argentina, who at least improved on their 6-1 defeat to Bolivia in another high altitude match in April.

Despite the result at 2,800 metres above sea level, Argentina remained in the top four of the 10-team South American group with 22 points from 14 games while Ecuador jumped to fifth place on 20 points.

The top four in the 10-team group qualify directly for South Africa and the fifth plays off over two legs against the fourth team from CONCACAF.

"They didn't do anything in the first half," Maradona said. "In the second half, they got a couple of rebounds and they scored two goals.

"If we had scored a goal, it would have finished the game off."

Ecuador coach Sixto Vizuete said: "These three points are worth their weight in gold and we're satisfied because we beat great opponents."

Messi wasted an outstanding chance after 10 minutes when he side-footed Gabriel Heinze's low cross wide of the goal from six metres.

Argentina had an even better chance when Tevez was upended by Ecuador goalkeeper Marcelo Elizaga just inside the penalty area and referee Carlos Chandia pointed to the spot.

Argentine-born Elizaga escaped the red card, even though he was the last man when he lunged at Tevez, and then saved Tevez's weak penalty by diving low to his left in the 28th minute.

Messi, who fired over from the rebound, then created another chance with a solo run but shot into the side-netting.

Ecuador's best first-half efforts were long-range shots from Jefferson Montero and Antonio Valencia.

Ecuador took control after halftime and continued to try their luck from long-range as Ayovi tested Mariano Andujar with a dipping free kick and Segundo Castillo forced him to turn a powerful drive around the post.

The hosts broke through when Argentina lost possession and Palacios laid the ball into the path of Ayovi who scored with a rising shot from 25 metres.

Substitute Palacios fired home the second from inside the penalty area with seven minutes left before Valencia hit the post with another long-range effort in injury-time.

Striker Nilmar capitalised on a piece of good fortune to earn Brazil a 2-1 home win over Paraguay that keeps them top of the table.

Nilmar, who had a quiet first half, chested a Felipe Melo pass towards Kaka, only for the ball to come back to him off the unfortunate Julio Cesar Caceres and the striker managed to scramble it home in the 50th minute.

Paraguay went ahead midway through the first half when Salvador Cabanas's free kick from outside the box took a deflection off Elano and looped over Brazil goalkeeper Julio Cesar.

Robinho then volleyed an exquisite equaliser four minutes before halftime from Daniel Alves's cross from the right.

Brazil have 27 points with four matches to go in the 10-team South American group. Paraguay are third with 24 points, two behind second placed Chile, with Argentina fourth (22).

"It was a match in which we had to be patient and persistent," Brazil coach Dunga said.

"We had to try playing on the wings, at speed, changing sides. Everyone plays tight away from home and that makes it difficult to win.

"We need three more points to be sure (of qualifying)," he added.

Brazil squandered several chances towards the end of an exciting second half, played in a torrential downpour in front of a crowd of 66,000 in the tropical city of Recife.

Paraguay had less possession but posed more threat with their counter-attacks in the first half, midfielder Carlos Bonet shooting just over the bar and busy striker Osvaldo Martinez going close from a tight angle before Cabanas opened the scoring.

His goal was only the second conceded by Brazil at home in the qualifiers and Julio Cesar had to be alert to prevent Cabanas from scoring again in the 70th minute.

Paraguay keeper Justo Villar made a diving save from Robinho close to the hour and the striker also went close with a free kick and shot over near the end after a good cross from Kaka.

Kaka, who signed for Real Madrid earlier this week, was guilty of a miss himself when he put the ball wide from a metre out following a low cross by marauding central defender Lucio.

Brazil visit arch-rivals Argentina in their next match, with the home side clinging desperately to an automatic qualifying berth after a 2-0 loss away to Ecuador.

Chile moved closer to securing a berth at the 2010 finals with a 4-0 thrashing of Bolivia, Alexis Sanchez sealing the emphatic qualifying win with two late goals for the hosts.

Led by enigmatic former Argentina coach Marcelo Bielsa, Chile climbed to second in the South American group, a point behind leaders Brazil.

Winger Jean Bonsejour put Chile ahead two minutes before halftime and there were three more goals in the final 17 minutes, midfielder Marco Estrada scoring from a free kick in the 73rd before Sanchez's quick brace.

Chile, who last played in a World Cup finals in France in 1998, took the lead when Bonsejour headed home a cross by Matias Fernandez.

Bolivia, ninth in the 10-nation group from which the fifth team plays off against the fourth-placed CONCACAF country, had midfielder Ignacio Garcia sent off in the 71st minute for a second bookable offence allowing Chile to take full control.

Estrada's free kick following Garcia's dismissal beat Carlos Arias at his left hand post then Sanchez twice got the better of the Bolivia goalkeeper in one-on-one situations, scoring his second goal with a lob.

Uruguay dropped out of the qualifying places in the South American World Cup qualifying group after they were held to a 2-2 draw in Venezuela.

Diego Forlan ended a spell of Uruguayan pressure by putting the visitors 2-1 up in the 73rd minute, but Venezuela kept their hopes of a first World Cup appearance alive when Jose Manuel Rey scored from a trademark free kick two minutes later.

Uruguay, on 18 points from 14 games, dropped to sixth in the 10-team group, two behind Ecuador. Venezuela have 17 points.

Venezuela took an early lead when Tomas Rincon flicked a deft pass through a square Uruguay defence and found Giancarlo Maldonado, who clipped the ball over Juan Castillo.

However, the hosts failed to build on their lead and Uruguay took control, Luis Suarez testing Renny Vega with a 20-metre shot and hitting the crossbar shortly afterwards with another effort from outside the area.

Uruguay deservedly equalised on the hour when Cristian Rodriguez fed Suarez and his shot slipped through Vega's arms.

Forlan struck from close range in the 73rd minute after Sebastian Abreu headed Diego Perez's cross into his path, but the lead last only two minutes as Rey equalised with a free kick.

Forlan was twice deprived a late winner for the frustrated visitors.

Colombia kept alive their chances of qualifying with a 1-0 win over Peru, who slumped to their eighth successive defeat.

Argentine-based striker Radamel Falcao Garcia scored the winner in the 25th minute, only the seventh goal in 14 qualifiers for his goal shy team.

Colombia have 17 points from 14 games in the 10-team South American group, enough to keep them in contention for fifth place with four games remaining.

Peru stayed bottom with seven points. Their run of defeats includes six World Cup qualifiers and two friendlies.

The goal came after Peru goalkeeper Leao Butron missed taking a corner, and Cristian Zapata at the far post sent the ball back into the middle where Falcao Garcia scored from close range.

Peru gave the home crowd some frights with a brief bout of pressure early in the second half. Colombia were far from convincing despite the win.

Peru should have equalised in injury-time but Johan Fano and Hernan Rengifo both failed to make contact with Alexander Sanchez's cross.