Brazil went top of the South American World Cup qualifying group on Tuesday with a 2-0 win over Venezuela in Merida while Argentina, lacking the inspiration of injured captain Lionel Messi, suffered a humiliating setback when they lost 1-0 at home to Paraguay on Tuesday.
The five-times World Cup winners Brazil , who were without suspended Barcelona striker Neymar, took just eight minutes to open the scoring with a goal that mixed comedy and beauty.
Venezuela goalkeeper Daniel Hernandez tried to pass the ball to his centre half 30 yards from goal only for Gabriel Jesus to pounce on the woeful attempt and lift the ball over the keeper from 20 metres with the loveliest of chips.
Brazil controlled the game against a team that had not won in their nine previous qualifiers and they got a second their play deserved after 53 minutes when Willian snuck in at the back post to finish off a low cross from Renato Augusto.
Venezuela improved slightly as the game progressed but although Alejandro Guerra came close after an hour and Alisson saved well from Salomon Rondon with minutes to go, they never looked like halting the progress of their dominant rivals.
The only major disruption to the Brazilian march to victory came when the lights in the Metropolitano stadium went out after 73 minutes.
The result allowed Brazil to leapfrog Uruguay, who started the day top of the table but could only draw 2-2 away at Colombia, into first place in the South American group.
Paraguay stunned the twice world champions Argentina with a fast break from deep in their own half, Angel Romero playing the ball into the path of Derlis Gonzalez who beat Sergio Romero with a shot inside the near post in the 18th minute.
Paraguay's players celebrate after defeating Argentina
Reuters The defeat left Argentina, who dropped seven points in three successive matches without Messi, in fifth place in the South American group with 16 points, one point ahead of Paraguay who had never won a qualifier in Argentina before.
Uruguay dropped to second on 20 points with Ecuador third on 17, level with Colombia, who are in fourth on goal difference.
The top four go through to the 2018 finals in Russia while the fifth placed team qualifiers for an intercontinental playoff for another berth.
Argentina could have got back on level terms two minutes into the second half but Paraguay captain Justo Villar saved Sergio Aguero's weak penalty.
Left back Marcos Rojo, one of three men in a makeshift Argentine defence with little or no club action this season, had the ball in the Paraguay net at a free kick in the second half but the referee ruled it offside.
In the first half, Angel Di Maria hit the Paraguay post with a shot across the face of goal.
Uruguay were held to a 2-2 draw away to Colombia with Luis Suarez scoring his 19th goal in qualifying matches, equalling the record held by former Argentina striker Hernan Crespo.
Uruguay's Luis Suarez celebrates after scoring against Colombia
Reuters The Uruguayans were pegged back in steamy, rainy Barranquilla by Colombia striker Yerry Mina's late headed equaliser after Suarez had put them ahead in the 73rd minute.
Midfielder Cristian Rodriguez had headed a 27th-minute leveller for Uruguay to cancel out Abel Aguilar's opening goal.
Ecuador's Enner Valencia scored twice, including an 89th minute equaliser, when they were a man short as they came from two goals down to draw with Bolivia in La Paz. Midfielder Luis Caicedo was sent off 12 minutes from time for a second booking.
Pablo Escobar scored both goals for Bolivia.
Copa America holders Chile, who had not won in three games, produced a 2-1 victory over arch-rivals Peru in Santiago that keeps them in seventh place on 14 points, one behind Paraguay.
Arturo Vidal scored both Chile's goals, the winner in the 85th minute after Edison Flores's equaliser.
RESULTSBolivia 2 Escober 3,42
Ecuador 2 Enner Valencia 47, 89
Colombia 2 Aguilar 15, Mina 84
Uruguay 2 Rodriguez 27, Suarez 73
Argentina 0 Paraguay 1 Gonzalez 18
Chile 2 Vidal 10, 85
Peru 1 Flores 76
Venezuela 0 Brazil 2 Gabriel Jesus 8, Willian 53
STANDINGSTeams MP W D L GF GA +/-
PtsBrazil 10 6 3 1 23 9 14
21Uruguay 10 6 2 2 21 7 14
20Ecuador 10 5 2 3 18 14 4
17Colombia 10 5 2 3 15 12 3
17Argentina 10 4 4 2 11 9 2
16Paraguay 10 4 3 3 10 12 -2
15Chile 10 4 2 4 15 16 -1
14Peru 10 2 2 6 11 19 -8
8Bolivia 10 2 2 6 11 20 -9
8Venezuela 10 0 2 8 9 26 -17
2 
Paraguay's players celebrate after defeating Argentina Reuters The defeat left Argentina, who dropped seven points in three successive matches without Messi, in fifth place in the South American group with 16 points, one point ahead of Paraguay who had never won a qualifier in Argentina before.
Uruguay dropped to second on 20 points with Ecuador third on 17, level with Colombia, who are in fourth on goal difference.
The top four go through to the 2018 finals in Russia while the fifth placed team qualifiers for an intercontinental playoff for another berth.
Argentina could have got back on level terms two minutes into the second half but Paraguay captain Justo Villar saved Sergio Aguero's weak penalty.
Left back Marcos Rojo, one of three men in a makeshift Argentine defence with little or no club action this season, had the ball in the Paraguay net at a free kick in the second half but the referee ruled it offside.
In the first half, Angel Di Maria hit the Paraguay post with a shot across the face of goal.
Uruguay were held to a 2-2 draw away to Colombia with Luis Suarez scoring his 19th goal in qualifying matches, equalling the record held by former Argentina striker Hernan Crespo.
Uruguay's Luis Suarez celebrates after scoring against Colombia Reuters The Uruguayans were pegged back in steamy, rainy Barranquilla by Colombia striker Yerry Mina's late headed equaliser after Suarez had put them ahead in the 73rd minute.
Midfielder Cristian Rodriguez had headed a 27th-minute leveller for Uruguay to cancel out Abel Aguilar's opening goal.
Ecuador's Enner Valencia scored twice, including an 89th minute equaliser, when they were a man short as they came from two goals down to draw with Bolivia in La Paz. Midfielder Luis Caicedo was sent off 12 minutes from time for a second booking.
Pablo Escobar scored both goals for Bolivia.
Copa America holders Chile, who had not won in three games, produced a 2-1 victory over arch-rivals Peru in Santiago that keeps them in seventh place on 14 points, one behind Paraguay.
Arturo Vidal scored both Chile's goals, the winner in the 85th minute after Edison Flores's equaliser.RESULTSBolivia 2 Escober 3,42 Ecuador 2 Enner Valencia 47, 89Colombia 2 Aguilar 15, Mina 84 Uruguay 2 Rodriguez 27, Suarez 73Argentina 0 Paraguay 1 Gonzalez 18Chile 2 Vidal 10, 85 Peru 1 Flores 76Venezuela 0 Brazil 2 Gabriel Jesus 8, Willian 53STANDINGSTeams MP W D L GF GA +/- PtsBrazil 10 6 3 1 23 9 14 21Uruguay 10 6 2 2 21 7 14 20Ecuador 10 5 2 3 18 14 4 17Colombia 10 5 2 3 15 12 3 17Argentina 10 4 4 2 11 9 2 16Paraguay 10 4 3 3 10 12 -2 15Chile 10 4 2 4 15 16 -1 14Peru 10 2 2 6 11 19 -8 8Bolivia 10 2 2 6 11 20 -9 8Venezuela 10 0 2 8 9 26 -17 2 