Sports Correspondent

Brazil have officially secured their place at the upcoming FIFA World Cup after a narrow but crucial 1-0 victory over Paraguay in the South American qualifiers.

The win sees the Samba Boys join arch-rivals Argentina and Ecuador as the latest teams from the CONMEBOL region to book their tickets to the global showpiece. Brazil’s qualification continues their impressive tradition of never missing a World Cup.

In other qualifying matches, Argentina were held to a 1-1 draw by Colombia, while Ecuador battled to a goalless stalemate against Peru. Uruguay boosted their chances with a convincing 2-0 win over Venezuela, and Bolivia registered a surprise 2-0 victory against Chile.

With only a few matches remaining, the race for the remaining qualification spots intensifies as South American powerhouses fight for a place on football’s biggest stage.