Paulinho pulverizes Uruguay

SAO PAULO - Brazil was not intimidated by 60,000 raucous fans at Estadio Centenario in Montevideo on Thursday, beating second-place Uruguay 4-1 in South America's World Cup qualifying group to retain the lead in the standings after 13 matches.

Guangzhou Evergrande midfielder Paulinho scored a hat-trick, while Barcelona star Neymar added another goal to keep Brazil firmly on course for soccer's main event in Russia next year.

Brazil boasts a 100 percent record under coach Tite, who took over in September and on Thursday secured his seventh straight win in the South American qualifiers.

Five-time world champion Brazil has 30 points, seven more than Uruguay and nine below the fourth and final automatic qualifying spot.

With five games remaining, Brazil could qualify next Tuesday with victory over Paraguay if Ecuador and Chile fail to win their matches.

Argentina beat Chile 1-0 in Buenos Aires thanks to a Lionel Messi penalty to stay in the qualification hunt. Argentina is third with 22 points while Chile is sixth, outside the qualification zone.

Fourth-place Colombia also needed a penalty to score a 1-0 home victory against Bolivia.

Elsewhere, seventh-place Paraguay beat fifth-place Ecuador 2-1, and bottom team Venezuela drew 2-2 with Peru, which is eighth.

Despite Brazil's convincing victory, it conceded for the first time since September.

A blunder by Real Madrid's Marcelo led goalkeeper Alisson to foul Edinson Cavani and the Paris Saint-Germain striker converted the resulting ninth-minute spot-kick to give Uruguay an early lead.

The goal was Cavani's 40th for his country, which had won all six of its previous home games of the campaign.

Brazil coach Tite said his team's performance was "more than the expected".

"I was happy about the 90 minutes, our capacity to absorb a goal against us and keep playing based on one idea," the 55-year-old added. "Our team is very aware that it has to triangulate. We did more than controlling the match, we were dominant."

Uruguay sorely missed the attacking threat of Barcelona star Luis Suarez, who was suspended, while Brazil was without Manchester City teenage sensation Gabriel Jesus, who has a broken toe.

Brazil will be without defender Dani Alves against Paraguay on Tuesday in Sao Paulo - the match that will likely secure the Samba Boys' World Cup berth. On the same night, Uruguay will travel to face Peru.

Associated Press