Messi penalty helps Argentina beat Chile

Buenos Aires, March 24 

Lionel Messi converted a penalty as Argentina laboured to a 1-0 win over Chile in a World Cup qualifier on Thursday that put them back in the automatic qualifying spots for next year’s finals in Russia.

Messi beat Claudio Bravo from the spot in the 16th minute after Angel Di Maria had been pushed from behind in the first quarter of a poor, tense match on a terrible River Plate pitch.

Argentina, a shadow of the team that finished World Cup runners-up in 2014, moved into third place in the 10-nation South American group on 22 points, eight behind leaders Brazil and one in arrears to second-placed Uruguay.

Brazil earlier beat Uruguay 4-1. Colombia, who beat Bolivia 1-0 at home, are now in the fourth qualifying place with 21 points, one ahead of Ecuador, who lost 2-1 away to Paraguay and sit in the playoff berth.

Brazil drub Uruguay

Montevideo: Brazil recovered from conceding an early goal to beat Uruguay 4-1 in Montevideo on Thursday, with Paulinho grabbing a hat-trick in a win that all but cemented their place at next year’s World Cup finals.

The victory gave Tite his eighth win in eight games as coach and lifted leaders Brazil to 30 points in the South American qualifying group, a tally that has been more than enough to guarantee qualification in previous campaigns.

“We work hard every day and so this isn’t an accident,” Paulinho said of the three points and three goals, his first professional hat-trick.

“We played a great game. We went behind, but we kept our concentration and we had the coolness to go after a result. Now we need to keep it up and I am sure this team has a lot more to offer,” he said. — Reuters