SAO PAULO (Reuters) - Brazil could become the first side to guarantee qualification for the 2018 World Cup on Tuesday if they beat Paraguay at home and both Ecuador and Chile drop points. Group leaders Brazil face Paraguay in Sao Paulo and will move on to 33 points if they win what would be their eighth consecutive qualifier. The top four teams in the South America region qualify automatically for Russia 2018 and the fifth-placed side go into a playoff against a side from Oceania. Brazil are the only team to play in every World Cup but they were humiliated on home soil in 2014 when eventual winners Germany hammered them 7-1 in the semi-finals. They are strongly fancied to beat seventh-placed Paraguay, even though the visitors have won or drawn their last four competitive fixtures in Brazil.

Source: The Star March 28, 2017 17:03 UTC