Brazil shocked and other big upsets at World Cup qualifiers played on Tuesday
A stunning bicycle kick from Antonio Sanabria and a second-half header from Omar Alderete gave Paraguay a well earned 2-1 home win over Argentina.
Brazil return to winning ways with dreary win over Ecuador in their World Cup qualifiers.
Lionel Messi stepped out of Diego Maradona's shadow by leading Argentina to World Cup victory last year and a statue of the diminutive forward will stand alongside those of his predecessor and Brazil great Pele at the South American federation's museum.
A Paraguayan judge ended the house arrest of former Barcelona player Ronaldinho Gaucho on Monday, freeing the way for him to return to Brazil and end a more than five-month ordeal that began when he tried to enter the country with an adulterated passport.
Gilberto Fleitas, the head of the investigations unit of the Paraguayan police, said Ronaldinho and his brother were taken into custody just hours after a judge refused to ratify a prosecutor's proposal for an alternative punishment.
Lingerie model Larissa Riquelme, who became a worldwide sensation during the World Cup, will run naked through the streets of Asuncion despite Paraguay's exit in the quarter-finals after a 1-0 defeat against Spain.
The inquiry that led to the detention of former Brazil player Ronaldinho Gaucho enters a new stage this week as prosecutors focus on what they believe is a money laundering scheme involving the businesswoman who invited him to Paraguay. Investigators will begin reviewing files and messages on the phones of the former Barcelona and AC Milan player and his brother and business manager Roberto Assis.
Substitute Lionel Messi scored his 38th goal for Argentina as they breezed past Slovenia 2-0 in their final World Cup warmup on Saturday.
Brazil fought back from a goal down to score three times in the second half and record a 3-1 win over Venezuela that maintained their 100 percent record in qualifying matches for the 2022 World Cup.
A look at how the fans reacted after their team's crashed out of the World Cup.
Former Brazil and Barcelona player Ronaldinho Gaucho his brother Roberto Assis, who were arrested on Friday for using a false Paraguayan passport, would present their case to a judge on Tuesday.
A summary of Thursday's South American World Cup qualifiers.
Spain and Portugal played out an entertaining 0-0 draw on Friday as both sides prepared for this month's European Championship.
Diego Maradona puts his reputation on the line when Argentina face Paraguay in Asuncion on Wednesday in a qualifier that could tilt his team closer to the abyss of World Cup failure.
The new executive woman doesn't wear opaque panty hose and doesn't wait around for a promotion.
Former Paraguay striker Julio Gonzalez Ferreira, who had his arm amputated after a car accident almost two years ago, made his comeback for first division Tacuary on Friday. Gonzalez was playing for Italy's Vicenza when he was involved in the accident on the way to Venice airport in December 2005.
Adriano was recalled by Brazil for next month's World Cup qualifiers on Thursday, only the second time he has been picked by his country since the 2006 World Cup. The 26-year-old was included in a 25-man squad for the matches away to Paraguay in Asuncion on June 15 and at home to arch-rivals Argentina in Belo Horizonte three days later.
Earlier in the night, Bolivia were denied their first win when Kaku scored with 18 minutes remaining to rescue a 2-2 draw for home side Paraguay in Asuncion.
The fire broke out on Sunday afternoon at the Ycua Bolanos supermarket during its peak shopping hours.
Aparna Popat entered the main draw after beating Commonwealth Games champion Li Li of Singapore.
Chile beat Ecuador 2-1 in their closing South American qualifier in Santiago on Tuesday as both went through automatically to the 2014 World Cup finals in Brazil.
Striker Sergio Aguero, injured during Argentina's shock 2-0 home defeat by Ecuador in a World Cup qualifier, said on Friday he would be out for a month.
Broadening the World Cup finals to include 40 teams could come about in 2026, FIFA president Gianni Infantino said during a tour of South America on Tuesday.
The two-times Olympic 100m gold medallist and three-times world 100m champion said she will return to competition in 2018.
Lionel Messi marked his retirement about face with a goal to give 10-man Argentina a 1-0 win over Uruguay on Thursday that lifted them to the top of the South American qualifying group for the 2018 World Cup finals in Russia.
First half goals from Philippe Coutinho and Neymar were followed by a third from Paulinho after 58 minutes to sink the Argentines and extend their winless run to four games.
Luis Suarez ended his nine-match biting ban in fine style on Friday, grabbing the second-half equaliser that gave Uruguay a 2-2 draw in an enthralling battle with Brazil in the 2018 World Cup qualifiers.
Rediff.com recaptures these and other exciting sporting moments from the week gone by....
Argentina's new coach Edgardo Bauza has set his mind to wooing Lionel Messi back from international retirement as he ponders his squad for next month's South American 2018 World Cup qualifiers. Bauza was named on Monday to replace Gerardo Martino, who resigned a month ago after steering Messi's side to two successive Copa America finals which ended in penalty shootout defeats to Chile.
Uruguay made light of the absence of striker Luis Suarez to recover from a goal down and beat 2015 Copa America hosts Chile 2-1 in a friendly in Santiago.
Ex-South American soccer chief in FIFA scandal under house arrest.
Photos from the 2018 World Cup qualifiers played on Tuesday
Argentina's injured captain Lionel Messi has been named in a squad missing the suspended Javier Mascherano and Gonzalo Higuain for next month's World Cup qualifier against South America's bottom side Paraguay.
It's a truly bizarre world we live in... These images prove it.
"If there are people who don't like the organisation or don't like me, they will realise they have been wrong... they will realise that."
Argentina remain winless in South American qualifying for the 2018 World Cup after struggling to a 0-0 in Paraguay on Tuesday, while Uruguay and Ecuador both made it two wins from two games to top the group.
Copa America kicks off in Chile on Thursday as a widening US-led investigation lifts the lid on rampant corruption among the sport's top officials.
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