Brazil faced their fourth loss in five World Cup qualifying matches, falling 1-0 to Paraguay, while Argentina suffered a 2-1 defeat to Colombia in the latest round of 2026 qualifiers.
Diego Gomez of Inter Miami netted the lone goal for Paraguay in Asuncion after just 20 minutes. Brazil struggled offensively, failing to register a shot on target in the first half. Despite fielding top stars like Alisson (Liverpool), Bruno Guimaraes (Newcastle), Lucas Paqueta (West Ham), and the Real Madrid trio of Rodrygo, Endrick, and Vinicius Jr, the five-time world champions now sit fifth in the qualifying table with only three wins in eight matches.
Brazil’s coach, Dorival Jr, who took charge in January, saw his team exit the Copa America in the quarter-finals this summer. Defending the team’s performance, defender Marquinhos told Brazilian TV Globo, “The coach is still figuring out the best way for us to play… It’s a time of transition, and we’re not feeling confident.”
In Colombia, veteran James Rodriguez was pivotal in his team’s 2-1 victory over reigning champions Argentina, who were without Lionel Messi. Rodriguez, currently playing for Rayo Vallecano, provided an assist for Yerson Mosquera’s opening goal in the 25th minute. Argentina’s Nicolas Gonzalez equalized shortly after halftime, but a foul by Nicolas Otamendi on Crystal Palace’s Daniel Munoz led to a penalty. Rodriguez converted the 60th-minute spot-kick to seal the win.
Speaking after the game, Rodriguez said, “I don’t think I’ve ever scored against them – there’s a first time for everything. This victory tastes even better against a team that has won everything.”
Meanwhile, Uruguay held Venezuela to a 0-0 draw, with newly signed Manchester United midfielder Manuel Ugarte featuring in the match. Argentina remains at the top of the qualifying table, two points clear of Colombia in second place. The top six teams automatically qualify for the 2026 World Cup, with the seventh-placed side advancing to an intercontinental playoff.
In Asia’s qualifiers, Australia was held to a goalless draw by Indonesia after losing 1-0 at home to Bahrain in their previous match. Japan cruised to a 5-0 win over Bahrain, with Premier League stars Wataru Endo (Liverpool), Kaoru Mitoma (Brighton), and Daichi Kamada (Crystal Palace) playing key roles. South Korea also secured their first victory, beating Oman 3-1, with Tottenham’s Son Heung-min and Wolves’ Hwang Hee-chan among the scorers.
