Neymar scores as Brazil march on, Uruguay go top

Montevideo, Brazil’s march towards the 2018 World Cup gathered pace with a Neymar-inspired win over Colombia as Uruguay surged to the top of the South American qualification standings with a 4-0 rout of Paraguay. Just four days after their first ever victory over Ecuador in Quito, Brazil dug deep to beat Colombia 2-1 in the Amazon jungle city of Manaus, courtesy Neymar’s 74th-minute winner. The result left Brazil — who had started the day outside the automatic qualifying places — in second place overall, just one point behind leaders Uruguay. Argentina, who squandered the opportunity to maintain their lead after a 2-2 draw against Venezuela, are third, trailing Brazil on goal difference with the two rivals level on 15 points.
Brazil’s win over Colombia was the latest in a series of physical encounters between the two teams, who have skirmished regularly since the 2014 World Cup quarterfinals — a match that saw Neymar exit with a tournament-ending injury. Neymar, who was sent off against Colombia in a bruising Copa America battle in 2015, exacted his revenge with a sweetly struck low shot to decide Tuesday’s game. It completed a memorable few weeks for the Barcelona superstar, who last month scored the winning penalty to give Brazil their first ever football gold medal at the Rio de Janeiro Games.
Neymar’s Barcelona teammate Luis Suarez meanwhile was in a sparkling form for Uruguay in their 4-0 thrashing of Paraguay. Paraguay had entered the match in Montevideo optimistic of an upset following their win over Copa America champions Chile last week. But a magnificent individual performance from Suarez — who laid on two goals for Edinson Cavani before scoring one himself from the penalty spot — left Paraguay reflecting on a humbling defeat. Cristian Rodriguez scored the other goal for the Uruguayans. The victory — and the performance of Suarez and Cavani — prompted Uruguay’s often stony-faced coach Oscar Tabarez to permit himself a smile.
Portugal beaten, France held
Paris: With Cristiano Ronaldo still missing due to injury, European champions Portugal began their bid to qualify for the 2018 World Cup in Russia with a disappointing 2-0 defeat in Switzerland on Tuesday.
Goals seven minutes apart in the first half from teenage sensation Breel Embolo and Admir Mehmedi gave the Swiss the points at the St Jakob-Park in Basel as they got off to the ideal start in qualifying Group B.
Elsewhere on Tuesday, Euro 2016 runners-up France also showed signs of a hangover from their summer exertions as Les Bleus were held to a 0-0 draw in Belarus.