Alexis Sanchez inspires Chile as Brazil remain mired in World Cup qualifying kickoff

Alexis Sanchez fired in a skillful goal as Chile beat Brazil 2-0 on Thursday night while hapless Argentina were quieted 2-0 by Ecuador in South American World Cup qualifying.

Chile's Alexis Sanchez celebrates after scoring against Brazil during their 2018 World Cup qualifying win on Thursday in Santiago. Martin Bernetti / AFP / October 8, 2015

Argentina slumped to a shock home defeat against Ecuador while Brazil were beaten 2-0 by Chile on Thursday as upsets dominated the opening round of South America's qualifying campaign for the 2018 World Cup.

Brazil, missing their influential stand-out with captain Neymar serving a suspension, were undone by goals from Chile stars Eduardo Vargas and Alexis Sanchez in Santiago.

Vargas, top scorer in Chile’s triumphant Copa America campaign, picked up where he left off in that tournament to fire the hosts into the lead on 72 minutes.

Arsenal star Sanchez then applied the coup de grace in the 90th minute, jabbing home from close range after a flowing move which ripped apart Brazil’s defence.

Chile manager Jorge Sampaoli hailed his side’s victory, the first by Chile over Brazil since 2000.

“I’m very happy because I have never beaten Brazil, and to beat a team that has caused us so many problems in the past means a lot,” Sampaoli said.

“Brazil are a great team, with great players who will surely be in the next World Cup.”

Brazil had been desperate to move on from a disappointing Copa America campaign which followed their humiliating 7-1 drubbing against Germany in last year’s World Cup semi-finals.

But the Brazilians, lacking the creative flair of Neymar, struggled to find a way through a physical Chile side who were fortunate to finish the game with 11 men.

A star-studded Argentina side badly missing the inspiration of injured captain Lionel Messi, meanwhile, struggled to find a way through a disciplined Ecuador in a lacklustre game at the Estadio Monumental.

The tone for a miserable night for Argentina had been set early on, when Manchester City striker Sergio Aguero was stretchered off the field with what looked like a serious hamstring injury.

The game appeared to be heading for a scoreless draw entering the final 10 minutes before Ecuador secured a breakthrough from a Frickson Erazo header that fired the visitors into a 1-0 lead.

Moments later, Antonio Valencia burst down the right flank and fed for Felipe Caicedo, the former Al Jazira man slotting home past Manchester United goalkeeper Sergio Romero for 2-0.

The defeat piles the pressure on Argentina coach Gerardo Martino, whose position was already the subject of scrutiny following his team’s failure to win the Copa America earlier this year.

While Argentina and Brazil were left reeling, Uruguay suffered no such problems, shrugging off the absence of star strikers Luis Suarez and Edinson Cavani to score a historic first away win over Bolivia in La Paz.

The high altitude of La Paz, 3,650 metres, has often left visiting sides gasping for breath, with Uruguay suffering a 4-1 thrashing in their last trip to the Bolivian capital in 2012.

Goals in each half from Martin Caceres and Diego Godin clinched a clinical 2-0 victory for the Uruguayans, who had not won in La Paz in five previous attempts.

Colombia meanwhile opened their qualifying campaign with a 2-0 victory, Teofilo Gutierrez and Edwin Cardona getting the goals in a hard-fought victory over Peru in Barranquilla.

In the day’s other game, Paraguay snatched a late away win over Venezuela when Derlis Gonzalez pounced on a defensive mistake to score the game’s only goal, in the 85th minute.

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