Brazil and Uruguay confounded the critics who had labelled them dull and unimaginative by combining to fire 10 goals past their opponents in reaching the Copa America semi-finals on Saturday.
Hull City completed the signing of Uruguay striker Abel Hernandez from Italian Serie A club Palermo for a club record fee of 9.5 million pounds ($15.8 million) on Monday.
Chile bundled reigning champions Uruguay out of the Copa America with a 1-0 victory.
Uruguay will head to the World Cup on a winning note after beating Uzbekistan 3-0 in a chilly warmup in front of their own fans on Thursday.
Luis Fabiano scored twice to give Brazil a fortuitous 2-1 win over Uruguay in their World Cup qualifier after the vistors had taken an early lead and dominated much of the game.
Paraguay drew 1-1 with Uruguay at the Copa America to go top of Group B, one point ahead of Argentina before the tournament favourites take on eliminated Jamaica later on Saturday.
Defending Copa America champions Argentina and South American heavyweights Brazil were drawn in favourable groups for next year's edition on Thursday, while hosts the United States will come up against 15-time winners Uruguay.
A goal by Salomon Rondon gave Venezuela an upset 1-0 win over Uruguay in Philadelphia on Thursday that put them on the verge of the Copa America Centenario quarter-finals with the record 15-times champions facing elimination. When midfielder Alejandro Guerra lobbed Fernando Muslera from more than 30 metres, the Uruguay goalkeeper chased back but only managed to tip the ball onto the bar and striker Rondon raced in to tap it into the net in the 36th minute. Venezuela, who beat Jamaica 1-0 in their opening Group C match, have six points, three more than Mexico, who beat Uruguay 3-1 on Sunday and were playing the Jamaicans later on Thursday in Pasadena. For Venezuela, looking for their maiden title, it was a first win in nine Copa America meetings with Uruguay while Rondon became the first "Vinotinto" (red wine) player to score at three tournaments.
Defender Diego Godin scored a dramatic goal nine minutes from time to send Uruguay through to the World Cup last 16 after a 1-0 win over Italy, on Tuesday, which sent the four-times champions home.
Netherlands reached their first World Cup final since 1978 when the current crop finally stepped out of the shadows of Total Football to beat battling Uruguay 3-2 in a superb semi-final on Tuesday.
Russia coach Stanislav Cherchesov was in bullish mood ahead of their final Group A showdown with Uruguay on Monday, dismissing suggestions his men under pressure because of their status as World Cup hosts.
Germany rounded off an impressive World Cup with a thrilling 3-2 win over a stubborn Uruguay on Saturday in a playoff for third place.
Uruguay will be gunning to beat Germany on Saturday knowing success in the third-place playoff game would mark their best performance at the World Cup finals since they lifted the golden trophy 60 years ago.
Striker Luis Suarez scored twice as 2010 World Cup semi-finalists Uruguay beat Peru 2-1 on Friday to improve their chances of reaching the Brazil finals next year.
Uruguay ended Ghana's dream of being the first African team in the World Cup semi-finals when they won a penalty shootout 4-2 after their quarter-final finished 1-1 at the end of extra time on Friday.
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.
TCS Vice-President (Business Development) Mario Tucci has been appointed as the country manager of the new unit which comprises a global delivery centre and regional training centre in Montevideo and an extension unit in Buenos Aires.
Images from the Copa America Group D matches between Brazil-Colombia and Paraguay-Costa Rica.
Peru produced a shock 3-0 win over Uruguay while Bolivia twice fought back to draw 2-2 with hosts Venezuela in a dramatic opening to the Copa America on Tuesday.
A stunning overhead kick by Eduard Bello helped Venezuela hold Brazil to a 1-1 draw in their 2026 World Cup qualifier on Thursday.
Brazil lost their second consecutive World Cup qualifier match as Colombia fought back to win 2-1 against the five-times champions.
Angel Di Maria and Sergio Aguero will miss Argentina's final South American World Cup qualifier against Uruguay on Tuesday as the team who have already booked their place at next year's finals prepare to field yet more reserves.
Uruguay are all but assured of a place at the 2014 World Cup finals after Edinson Cavani led the twice champions to a 5-0 away rout of Jordan in the first leg of their qualifying playoff on Wednesday.
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.
Peru edged Mexico 1-0 at the Copa America on Friday to move level on points at the top of Group C with Chile, who had earlier come from behind to draw 1-1 with Uruguay.
Ecuador secured a place in the Copa America quarter-finals on Sunday after grinding out a 0-0 draw with Mexico.
Yuki Bhambri made his first doubles semi-finals of the ATP 500 tour.
England expect to face an added danger with a Luis Suarez comeback for Uruguay in World Cup Group D on Thursday even if coach Oscar Tabarez has not confirmed his country's top scorer for the match in Sao Paulo.
Argentina were counting the casualties on Sunday after beating neighbours Uruguay 2-1 in an often brutal River Plate derby.
Rediff.com's man in South Africa captures the mood in Port Elizabeth on World Cup match day.
Close to half of women soccer fans in England and Wales have personally experienced sexist or misogynistic abuse at matches but most have never reported it to authorities, a new study by anti-discrimination charity Kick It Out revealed on Wednesday.
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.
Argentina have called up Mallorca's Spanish defender Pablo Maffeo for the first time ahead of this month's World Cup qualifiers against Uruguay and Brazil in the squad announced by its FA on Friday.
Lightning struck twice when Uruguay suffered another surprise World Cup qualifying defeat at home, losing 3-1 to Peru on Tuesday.
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.
'He is gradually getting better. However, I cannot confirm today that he will play in the first match'
Germany and Uruguay will hope to salvage some pride in their third-place playoff match on Saturday after devastating semi-final defeats earlier this week.
The World Cup's history men face the competition's nearly men when inaugural hosts and twice winners Uruguay take on double runners-up Netherlands in Cape Town on Tuesday fighting it out for a place in the final.
Germany showed their legendary resilience on Saturday when they came from behind to beat Uruguay 3-2 in a thrilling third-place World Cup playoff.
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