Soccer: Cris the villain as Brazil crash

Brazil’s hopes of reaching next summer’s World Cup finals suffered a huge blow with a 2-1 defeat to arch-rivals Argentina in Buenos Aires.

The 1998 World Cup runners-up took the lead when Roberto Ayala bundled the ball past his own keeper after just two minutes but, despite a determined display, Luis Felipe Scolari’s side could not hold on.

Substitute Ariel Ortega provided the cross for Marcelo Gallardo to level with 15 minutes to go and then Brazil defender Cris, under pressure from Ortega, deflected Claudio Lopez’s cross past keeper Marcos and into his own net five minutes from full time.

While Argentina have already booked their place in Japan and South Korea, progression for Brazil still remains in doubt.

They currently lie in fourth place in the CONMEBOL qualifying group but are now level on points with Uruguay, who beat Peru last night.

The top four teams qualify automatically for the finals with the team in fifth facing a two-legged play-off with Australia.