It was a fixture rich week of World Cup qualifying games this time around with all of FIFA's federations, bar Oceania, in action. In Asia Iraq won their qualifying group to progress to the second round, Holland revived their chances of qualification from the UEFA section with an emphatic 4-0 win and in Africa Nigeria manager Jo Bonfrere's mouth looks to have got him the sack. Brazil, ranked number one in the world by FIFA, followed up their shock defeat against Ecuador last month with a dismal 1-1 home draw with Peru this week. Romario put Brazil ahead but their lead lasted on 13 minutes before defender Juan Pajuelo headed the equaliser for Peru.
Nothing is easy anymore.
Peru stay in seventh place but are still unlikely to qualify. Argentina also struggled against 'lesser' opposition and had to battle hard at high altitude for a 3-3 draw with Bolivia. The match at 3,600 metres above sea level in La Paz clearly affected the Argentineans who snatched a dramatic draw with two goals in the last two minutes. Bolivia were leading 3-1 after Lider Paz, Percy Colque and Joaquin Botero all scored their first international goals. But Hernan Crespo pulled one back in the 89th minute with his seventh goal of the competition and second of the match and Brazil-based Juan Pablo Sorin equalised in the second minute of injury time.