November 12, (THEWILL) – Brazil defeated Colombia 1-0 on Thursday to become the first South American side to qualify for Qatar 2022.
Lucas Paqueta scored the game-winning goal 72 minutes into what was a closely contested game with little chances to speak off.
The 34 points that Brazil has garnered from 12 games played so far in the CONMEBOL qualifying series see the Selecao lead the 10-team South American group by nine points above second-placed Argentina, whom they play next.
The top four teams in CONMEBOL qualifiers will qualify for Qatar 2022 automatically, while the fifth-placed team will compete in an inter-regional playoff to have a shot at next year’s global tournament.
However, apart from being the first to punch their ticket to Qatar from the South American region, Brazil’s home run in the qualifications now stands at 11 wins in a row, which is a record in the CONMEBOL region.
Brazil has never missed a World Cup since it began in 1930, and the five-time champions extended that streak with their victory on Thursday. Since losing the Copa America final to long-time rivals Argentina in July, the South American superpower has gone five games without losing.
Brazil will return to action against Argentina on Tuesday, while Colombia hosts Paraguay on the same day.
Jude Obafemi is a versatile senior Correspondent at THEWILL Newspapers, excelling in sourcing, researching, and delivering sports news stories for both print and digital publications.
