Brazil’s hopes for a third consecutive victory in the 2026 World Cup qualifiers were halted with a 1-1 draw against Venezuela. Raphinha opened the scoring for the five-time world champions in the 43rd minute, but Venezuela struck back immediately after the break through Telasco Segovia. Real Madrid star Vinicius Junior missed a crucial penalty in the second half after being fouled by the Venezuelan goalkeeper Romo, who redeemed himself by saving Vinicius’ spot-kick and the follow-up attempt. The miss kept Brazil in third place in the standings with 17 points.
Vini Jr.'s Brazil career has left a lot to be desired so far 🇧🇷 pic.twitter.com/TmQIMp6yBR
— CBS Sports Golazo ⚽️ (@CBSSportsGolazo) November 15, 2024
Argentina suffered their third defeat in the World Cup qualifiers, falling 1-2 to Paraguay. Despite the loss, the reigning world champions remain atop the table with 22 points. Lautaro Martinez gave Argentina an early lead in the 11th minute, but Paraguay responded with a spectacular overhead kick by Antonio Sanabria in the 19th minute, energizing the home crowd. The decisive goal came in the 47th minute when Getafe defender Omar Alderete headed in a cross from Diego Gomez, securing victory for Paraguay and solidifying their sixth-place standing.
In the other match of the evening, Ecuador trashed Bolivia with a resounding 4-0 home victory. Enner Valencia led the charge, scoring one and assisting for two goals. Gonzalo Plata added a brace, while Alan Minda completed the scoring in the 61st minute.