Peru remained seventh and only have a remote chance of reaching the finals in Japan and South Korea next year. Before a disbelieving crowd Peru finished the game on top, threatening to snatch a late winner which would have handed Brazil a first-ever home defeat in a World Cup qualifier. The result left a cloud hanging over coach Emerson Leao, who has only been in charge for five games. Brazil's proud record of being the only country to have played in the finals of every World Cup is also in danger. The top four teams in the group qualify and the fifth plays off against the winners of the Oceania region.
Nothing is easy anymore.
There's no longer that great respect for us that there was before. Brazil made sweeping changes in an attempt to reverse a run of results which has also seen defeats in Chile and Paraguay. They dropped captain Rivaldo and gave first caps to Alessandro, Ewerthon and Leomar. By the time Washington and Mineiro had come on as substitutes in the second half, they had five players making their international debuts. Brazil struggled against a well-organised Peru defence and their strikers, Romario especially, were repeatedly caught offside early on.