2002 World Cup - Venezuela 3 Paraguay 1

Paraguay lost badly to Venezuela in a game that will worry Brazil.

Brazil need to defeat Venezuela next week to ensure they take the final World Cup qualification place on offer from CONMEBOL and avoid a two leg play-off against Australia later this month.

Brazil lost 3-1 in Bolivia yesterday while Paraguay were sent to the World Cup finals by Uruguay's failure to win in Ecuador who also qualified for the Korea and Japan matches next May.

Paraguay had nothing to play for and it showed San Cristobal.

Daniel Noriega put through Ruberth Moran in only the second minute to score easily for the home team who could now take on Brazil with renewed confidence as they took control of the game to notch their fourth win of the qualifying campaign.

Such was the excitement when the home team took the lead that the match e\was halted by 20 minutes due to a power failure and it is hardly surprising that Paraguay failed to settle until well into the match.

Twenty minutes after the restart defender Jorge Rojas touched on a corner kick to Noriega who smashed a jumping volley into the net.

Francsico Arce scored a consolation penalty kick two minutes later after striker Hugo Brizuela was fouled but five minutes before half time Gabriel Urdaneta crossed for defender Hector Gonzalez to finish low and hard.