After ten rounds of World Cup qualifying the picture now looks somewhat different, especially for Brazil.
That was after Dorival Junior’s Selecao secured victories in Chile and at home to Peru to move up to a solid fourth place in the table.
It certainly seems the thoughts of the Brazilians missing out on their first World Cup finals have greatly diminished.
Those results also leave Chile and Peru (with only one win apiece) cut off from the six automatic qualifiers.
Meanwhile, at the head of affairs top-ranked Argentina continue to lead the way after a draw in Venezuela and a 6-0 thumping of Bolivia in Buenos Aires.
No doubt enjoying himself in that latter victory was one Lionel Messi who notched a treble to become the top scorer within the South American qualifying.
Messi overtook Darwin Nunez who drew blanks in Uruguay’s loss in Lima and their goalless draw at home to Ecuador.
However, the Sky Blues, under coach Bielsa, remain in the top four positions and on course for the finals together with Colombia (for whom Liverpool’s Luis Diaz was on target in the defeat of Chile)
If anything goes down ‘to the wire’ it seems likely to be the battle between Ecuador, Paraguay, Venezuela, and Bolivia, with their home advantage, for who qualifies in sixth and seventh (and has to negotiate the inter-continental playoff)
Matchdays 11 and 12 take place in November and include visits to Asuncion for Argentina, Maturin for Brazil, and then a heavyweight encounter between Brazil and Uruguay.
But overall the pattern looks to be established with Brazil now safely on course for World Cup finals number 23 in the USA/Mexico/Canada in 2026.
Analysis – John Bethell