South America: Argentina edges Peru 2-1

BUENOS AIRES, Argentina (AP) -- Martin Palermo scored three minutes into injury time to give Argentina a 2-1 victory over Peru in World Cup qualifying Saturday and keep alive its hopes of reaching next year's finals in South Africa.

Palermo scored from close-in on a scrambled play in the final seconds as a driving rain soaked the field. And it drenched Palermo, too, who ripped off his shirt and raised his arms to the heavens to celebrate the winning goal at River Plate's Monumental stadium.

Argentina coach Diego Maradona called it "the Miracle of St. Palermo.''

"Go and put and end to this story just as you have so many others,'' Maradona said he told Palermo, as he sent him into the game in the 48th minute as a substitute.

Peru's Hernan Rengifo leveled the match with about 20 seconds left in regulation time after Real Madrid striker Gonzalo Higuain put Argentina ahead in the 48th on a sharp-angled shot from six meters.

Argentina's future will be settled in Wednesday's final qualifying match at bitter rival and neighbor Uruguay.

"We're going to go play in Montevideo (Uruguay) with all of our pride,'' Maradona said.

Argentina's victory improved it to 25 points in South American qualifying. Uruguay has 24 after beating Ecuador 2-1 in Quito. The winner on Wednesday will qualify directly to the World Cup. The loser will either be eliminated or face a playoff in November against the No. 4 team from North and Central America and the Caribbean.

The victory should take some of the pressure off the embattled Maradona, who has been blamed for Argentina's struggle to reach South Africa despite fielding many of the world's best players.

Peru has the worst record in South American qualifying with only two victories in 17 games - and only 10 goals scored. Peru has never won a match in Argentina.

Of the 11 players who started the last qualifier for Argentina - a 1-0 loss to Paraguay - only four started against Peru with Maradona shuffling his lineup - which he has done constantly since taking over a year ago.

Argentina pressed from the start and managed a shot after just a few seconds. Most of the play in the first 45 minutes was in Argentina's attacking half with Higuain - in his first match for Argentina - coming close twice.

In the 19th Higuain shot just wide from close range, and two minutes later he hit the post to the right of Peru keeper Leao Butron. Barcelona striker Lionel Messi was in the mix too, firing just wide in the 40th.

Despite the pressure, Argentina seldom looked organized and lacked long spells of possession and continuity.

Higuain was one of three players making his debut for Argentina. Defender Emiliano Insua and midfielder Enzo Perez were also playing their first games.

Chile 4, Colombia 2

MEDELLIN, Colombia (AP) -Chile clinched its place at the World Cup with a 4-2 win at Colombia on Saturday.

In a frantic match at the Atanasio Girardot Stadium, Colombia went ahead in the 13th minute thanks to an Arturo Vidal own-goal.

Chile struck back swiftly in the 35th with an Waldo Ponce equalizer and surged ahead a minute later when Humberto Suazo headed Fabian Orellana's pass into the net.

Giovanni Moreno scored in the 63rd to draw the hosts level, before substitute Jorge Valdivia scored the winner in the 72nd. Fabian Orellana secured Chile's first return to the World Cup since 1998 with an insurance goal in the 79th.

Chile has 30 points while Colombia was eliminated after Uruguay beat Ecuador to leave fifth-place - and the final playoff spot - four points out of reach with one game to play.

Colombia, which has failed to qualify for the last three World Cups, will face Paraguay in its final qualifier on Wednesday when Chile plays Ecuador.

Jackson Martinez took advantage of a mixup between Chile goalkeeper Claudio Bravo and a teammate to skip clear along the left side. Vidal pushed his centering pass into goal with Falcao Garcia pressuring, but the ball set to roll past without threat.

Colombia Goalkeeper David Ospina kept the hosts in the lead by jumping across to keep Jean Beausejour's weak chance out in the 29th after the Chile forward found himself alone, deep inside the Colombia area.

But Chile took command after Ponce headed in a free kick and Suazo capped a slick build-up started by Valdivia, who had replaced Matias Fernandez five minutes earlier.

Both keepers made sensational stops before Moreno, who came on in the 57th minute, volleyed a powerful shot home to the delight of nearly all of the 21,000 in attendance.

The joy was short-lived as Chile continued to press and Valdivia put the visitors back in front before Orellana chipped the ball over Ospina from outside the area for the final score. Orellana would be shown a red card on the last play of the game.

Paraguay 2, Venezuela 1

PUERTO ORDAZ, Venezuela (AP) -Salvador Cabanas and Oscar Cardozo scored second-half goals as Paraguay prevailed to all but end the hosts' chances of reaching the 2010 World Cup.

Cabanas struck a hard shot past goalkeeper Renny Vega and inside the near post on the break in the 55th minute. Cardozo dribbled an angled shot from the left past Vega in the 79th for the winner.

Alexander Rondo pulled one back in the 86th, but Venezuela is seventh and stuck on 21 points with one game left against South American qualifying leaders Brazil. Argentina plays Uruguay for the final guaranteed spot on Wednesday, while Ecuador is also ahead of Venezuela with 23 points. The fifth-place team faces the No. 4 ranked team from the North, Central America and Caribbean region in a playoff.

Venezuela's last game is against Brazil, which has 33 points alongside Paraguay, which has already qualified for next year's finals at South Africa. Venezuela will need Uruguay to lose to Argentina by nine goals and then beat the five-time World Cup champions by the same margin to reach the playoff spot and have a chance to qualify for the first time in its history.

Venezuela dominated most of the game at the Cachamay Stadium and had four clear chances to score, including an 84th-minute penalty that Paraguay goalkeeper Aldo Bobadilla stopped.

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