Brazil and Argentina suffer defeats in World Cup qualifiers

In a dramatic round of World Cup qualifiers on Tuesday, Colombia secured a 2-1 victory over Argentina, avenging their Copa America final loss. The match took place at Barranquilla's Metropolitano Stadium, where Colombia's captain James Rodriguez scored a crucial penalty in the 60th minute after a controversial VAR decision. This win propelled Colombia to second place in the South American qualifying standings, just two points behind Argentina, who were missing their star player, Lionel Messi, due to injury. Argentina initially equalized after a mistake from Rodriguez allowed Nicolas Gonzalez to score. However, Colombia's early lead, established by Yerson Mosquera's header, proved vital. The passionate home crowd supported Colombia, who are now in a strong position to qualify for the World Cup, with the top six teams earning a spot in the finals. Meanwhile, Brazil faced a disappointing 1-0 defeat against Paraguay, leaving them in fifth place with 10 points. The only goal of the match came from Diego Gomez, who scored with a long-range shot in the 20th minute. Brazil's loss has raised concerns about their qualification prospects, as they are now just ahead of Venezuela on goal difference. The results from this round of qualifiers have significant implications for the standings, with Colombia and Argentina vying for top positions, while Brazil's struggles continue. The competition remains fierce as teams aim for a place in the expanded 2026 World Cup, with only a few matches left in the qualifying campaign.