CONMEBOL World Cup Qualifying Review: Ecuador shock Argentina, Brazil lose in Chile

A pair of goals in barely a minute stunned Argentina as Ecuador claimed a remarkable 2-0 victory in World Cup qualifying on Thursday.

The match appeared to be petering out to a draw in Buenos Aires until Frickson Erazo and Felipe Caicedo struck with nine minutes remaining.

Ecuador had chances throughout in the Argentine capital but they only managed to break the deadlock in the 81st minute, when centre-back Erazo headed past Sergio Romero.

Caicedo then sealed the three points just seconds later, capping a swift counter-attacking move with a side-footed effort beyond Romero as Ecuador triumphed in Argentina for the first time in their history.

The defeat came as a double blow to Copa America finalists Argentina – already missing captain Lionel Messi – after losing Sergio Aguero to an apparent hamstring injury in the 19th minute.

Aguero was stretchered off the field and replaced by Carlos Tevez after chasing down Gabriel Achilier.

Copa America champions Chile were also 2-0 victors as World Cup qualifying kicked off in South America, upstaging Brazil in Santiago.

Second-half goals from Eduardo Vargas and Alexis Sanchez inspired Chile on home soil.

Vargas side-footed in a 72nd-minute goal at the Estadio Nacional Julio Martinez Pradanos in Santiago before Sanchez sealed it late on for Chile, who claimed just their eighth win in 71 meetings against Brazil and first since 2000.

Colombia and Uruguay were also triumphant on Thursday.

Teo Gutierrez’s 36th-minute header and Edwin Cardona’s late strike helped Colombia past Peru 2-0.

Uruguay overcame Bolivia by the same scoreline via goals from Martin Caceres and Diego Godin.

Paraguay, meanwhile, left it late as Derlis Gonzalez scored with five minutes remaining in a 1-0 win in Venezuela.