Diego Godin – Uruguay.

Argentina remain winless and goalless after their first two 2018 World Cup qualifiers following a 0-0 draw in Paraguay yesterday, while Brazil got off the mark in the South American group with a 3-1 home win over Venezuela.

Uruguay, Chile and Ecuador made it two wins from two games, with the Uruguayans shrugging off the absence of suspended strikers Luis Suarez and Edinson Cavani to top the group on goal difference after beating Colombia 3-0.

Ecuador, who stunned Argentina in Buenos Aires five days ago, scored another 2-0 win, this time at home over Bolivia and sit second.

Chile followed up last week’s win over Brazil with a 4-3 victory in Peru to sit third, ahead of Paraguay on four points, Brazil and Colombia on three, and 2014 World Cup finalists Argentina on one.

Without the injured Lionel Messi and Sergio Aguero, Carlos Tevez was tasked with leading the Argentina attack in Asuncion and headed a good Angel Di Maria cross just over the bar.

Tevez then suffered a broken nose early in the second half when he was hit by defender Victor Caceres’s elbow going for a high ball and spent four minutes being bandaged up before returning the fray.

Tevez was eventually substituted and is still looking for his first Argentina goal in four years.

“We’re sorry not to have got the three points. I’m not happy with one point because we needed to win the match,” Argentina coach Gerardo Martino said.

Brazil raced into the lead after 40 seconds with the first of two first-half goals from Willian at the Castelao in Fortaleza.

Three minutes before half-time the midfielder doubled Brazil’s lead. Defender Filipe Luis crossed the ball, Oscar let it run and Willian tucked it away.

Venezuela pulled one back through Christian Santos at a corner but striker Ricardo Oliveira restored Brazil’s two-goal cushion nine minutes later.

Uruguay took the lead after 33 minutes when centre-back Diego Godin rose to bullet home a header from a corner .

Striker Diego Rolan added a second six minutes into the second half with a chip over keeper David Os-pina and substitute Abel Hernandez got a third after 87 minutes.

Juan Cuadrado was sent off in the dying moments at the Centenario to cap a miserable night for Colombia, who were without the injured James Rodriguez.

Results and standings
Paraguay vs Argentina 0-0; Brazil vs Venezuela 3-1; Peru vs Chile 3-4; Uruguay vs Colombia 3-0; Ecuador vs Bolivia 2-0.