SAO PAULO, Brazil, 7 June 2005 — Defending champion Brazil moved within a point of first place in the South American World Cup qualifying group Sunday with an easy 4-1 win over Paraguay. In African qualifying, Nigeria and Senegal were each held to draws.
Brazil, which is in second place in the 10-team South American group with 27 points, got two goals from Ronaldinho and one each from Ze Roberto and Robinho.
The five-time World Cup champions can overtake Argentina for the lead in the group tomorrow when the two powerhouses meet in Buenos Aires.
In Porto Alegre, Brazil, Ronaldinho put the hosts ahead in the 32nd minute with a penalty into the middle of the net. Brazil was awarded the penalty after a hand ball.
The FC Barcelona midfielder added his second from the spot in the 42nd after Robinho was fouled in the area. This time, Ronaldinho sent his shot into the upper right corner. Midfielder Ze Roberto added to the lead with a left-footed strike from the top of the box in the 70th, and Robinho closed the scoring for Brazil with a low shot from inside the area in the 82nd.
Robinho was playing for two-time World Cup champion Ronaldo, who was dropped from the team after saying he needed to rest because of personal problems. Forward Roque Santa Cruz scored Paraguay’s lone goal with a header from about seven meters (yards) in the 72nd. The ball ricocheted off Brazil defender Lucio’s back before going in.
Lucio was sent off five minutes later because of a hard tackle.
Nigeria and Senegal, which both reached the last World Cup tournament three years ago, made it tough on themselves Sunday.
Senegal was held to 0-0 by Republic of Congo in Group One and dropped behind Togo, which beat Zambia 4-1. Nigeria finished 1-1 with Rwanda and is now tied for the Group Four lead with Angola, which beat Algeria 2-1.Only the five African group winners qualify for next year’s World Cup finals.
In other African matches, it was: Mali 4, Liberia 1; Congo 4, Uganda 0; Ghana 2, Burkina Faso 1; Egypt 6, Sudan 1; Zimbabwe 1, Gabon 0; and Guinea 1, Kenya 0.
In Kigali, Rwanda, Obafemi Martins scored a 78th-minute equalizer after Jimmy Gatete gave Rwanda the lead in the 52nd.
“I didn’t expect to see Rwanda putting up such an interesting fight like this, but I am happy — the draw is better than losing,” Nigeria coach Christia Chukwu said.
In Luanda, Angola, Flavio Amado and Fabrice Akwa headed in goals to lead Angola over Algeria. Amado scored in the 48th and Akwa added the second in the 58th.
Algeria pulled one back in the 66th when Nasreddine Kraouche slipped one past goalkeeper Joao Pereira. In Lome, Togo, Sheyi Adebayo opened the scoring with a penalty in the 12th minute and added another in the 88th.
Sheriff Toure and Kader Kougbadja also scored for Togo, while Gift Kambemba got one back for Zambia.
