Brazil eyeing WC spot

A buoyant Brazil could book their place at the 2018 World Cup on Tuesday while Argentina will attempt to give their qualifying campaign more breathing space with a game at altitude against Bolivia.

After sinking into a protracted depression after the trauma of their humiliating 2014 World Cup exit, Brazil have undergone a transformation since new manager Tite took over last year.

Tite, who was appointed after the debacle of the 2016 Copa America Centenario, when Brazil failed to qualify from the group stage, has overseen a record-breaking run of seven straight wins.

The latest of those victories came on Thursday, when Brazil shrugged off an early Edinson Cavani goal to destroy Uruguay 4-1 in Montevideo.

That win marked a new record for Brazil in qualifiers, surpassing the six straight victories recorded by the fabled Pele-led team which went on to win the 1970 World Cup in Mexico.

Brazil's magnificent run of form under Tite means they now lead the South American standings with 30 points from 13 games, seven points clear of second placed Uruguay who have 23 points.

On Tuesday, if Brazil beat Paraguay in Sao Paulo, and Chile and both Ecuador and Chile lose their games, the five-time World Cup-winners will have secured their berth in Russia.

Argentina hauled themselves back into the qualifying places on Thursday with a battling 1-0 win over Chile.

The Argentinians will attempt to build on that crucial victory when the travel to the thin air of La Paz to face Bolivia on Tuesday.

The city's Estadio Hernando Siles is situated some 3,600 metres (11,800 ft) above sea level, and was the scene of a famous 6-1 Argentinian defeat in qualifiers for the 2010 World Cup.

In qualifying for the 2014 World Cup, Lionel Messi was left vomiting at half-time while Angel Di Maria needed to be given oxygen on the pitch before Argentina ground out a 1-1 draw.

Failure to beat Bolivia on Tuesday could see Argentina fall out of the automatic qualifying positions once more, if Colombia beat Ecuador in Quito and reigning South American champions Chile down bottom team Venezuela in Santiago.

Chile, back-to-back winners of the Copa America in 2015 and 2016, are currently outside the qualifying places following last week's defeat in Buenos Aires.

Captain Claudio Bravo vowed 'La Roja' would go all out to secure victory against Venezuela.