Martinez on the mark

Argentina’s Lautaro Martinez celebrates after scoring against Peru during the 2022 World Cup Qualifying match at the Monumental Stadium in Buenos Aires on Thursday. Pics/AFP, Getty Images

Argentina took their unbeaten run to 25 matches and moved a step closer to qualifying for the World Cup with a hard-fought 1-0 win over Peru on Thursday.

Lautaro Martinez scored the only goal of the game two minutes before the break with a powerful header while Yoshimar Yotun missed a second half penalty for Peru.

On his first start for his country, Raphinha scored a brace as Brazil all but mathematically booked their place at the World Cup with a 4-1 thrashing of Uruguay.

Neymar, Barbosa score

Neymar and Gabriel Barbosa scored the other goals while Luis Suarez notched Uruguay's consolation. Brazil top the single South American qualifying group by six points from Argentina, who have a nine point gap to those that could deny them a berth at Qatar 2022.

Brazil's Raphinha (right) celebrates with Neymar after scoring against Uruguay in Arena Amazonia, Brazil, on Thursday

Argentina last lost in the 2019 Copa America semi-finals - 2-0 against Brazil. Since then the South American giants have been unstoppable, beating Brazil twice on their run, including earlier this year in the 2021 Copa America final.

In the early stages in windy Buenos Aires, Peru looked capable of causing an upset, but striker Gianluca Lapadula prodded their bets chance straight into Argentina goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez's midriff.

Argentina center-back Cristian Romero thought he had put the hosts in front when headed in a Rodrigo De Paul free-kick, only to be flagged offside. Peru's approach was industrious and crude, with Lionel Messi subjected to several rash challenges.

Lionel Scaloni

‘We were tired'

Argentina took the lead two minutes before half-time as Lautaro Martinez sent a bullet header from Nahuel Molina's cross straight over goalkeeper Pedro Gallese's head. "You could see we were tired today," admitted Argentina coach Lionel Scaloni, after an "exhausting" three matches in the space of a week. "We got on with it and took the points, which is what we wanted."

VAR chaos in Colombia

Colombia and Ecuador played out a fractious ill-tempered 0-0 draw in Barranquilla that did little to boost either side's qualification hopes as they battle for a top four finish. The match lasted more than 15 minutes over the regulation 90 due to two interminable second half VAR breaks.

The first overturned a decision to award Ecuador a penalty while the second, 10 minutes into time added on, eventually chalked off what had appeared to be a winning goal by giant Colombia center-back Yerry Mina.

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