ontevideo  - Argentina qualified Wednesday for the 2010 World Cup with a 1-0 win over Uruguay in Montevideo in the last round of the South American qualifiers.

Ecuador's loss to Chile kept Uruguay alive for a last chance to earn a ticket to South Africa 2010 by qualifying for a play-off with a team from North or Central America or the Caribbean.

Brazil, Paraguay and Chile had already secured berths in South Africa before the last round of the qualifiers.

Mauro Bolatti scored the only goal of the match in the 84th minute, though a draw was enough to get Argentina a World Cup berth after the defeat of Ecuador.

Uruguay started out well and had three chances in the first 10 minutes of play. However, the match was generally tense and lacked clear chances after that.

Argentina controlled the midfield, with a good performance from veteran Juan Sebastian Veron, though superstar Lionel Messi again conspicuously failed to shine.

"We knew that we did not have to go crazy, that we had to play a bit with their despair," Bolatti said after the match.

In Santiago, already-qualified Chile beat Ecuador 1-0 to end the visitors' hopes of reaching the 2010 World Cup.

With a close-range goal from reliable striker Humberto Suazo in the 51st minute, Chile celebrated before their home fans after sealing their own qualification over the weekend in Colombia.

Suazo was the most prolific scorer in the South American qualifiers with 10 goals.

Chile have not played in a World Cup since 1998, while Ecuador had played the last two editions of the global tournament.

Captain Claudio Bravo noted that qualification is "an achievement for all Chileans," as thousands of his compatriots again poured onto the streets to celebrate.

"Now we are going to South Africa to play a good World Cup," Bravo said.

Venezuela drew 0-0 in their trip to Brazil to close their best- ever World Cup qualifiers despite not making it to South Africa 2010.

Although Brazil had already qualified for the World Cup, coach Carlos Dunga was not happy with his men's performance.

"We would have wanted to have won the match. We wish we had done more to give joy to these fans who cheered Brazil on, even though the team played badly in the first half," he said.

Brazil clearly dominated the second half of the match at Morenao Stadium in Campo Grande, though they were down to 10 men after Miranda was sent off for elbowing a rival in the 56th minute.

Players did not feel the draw was a major setback.

"Brazil is on the right track, and we have to keep that union. Of course we will have to correct a few things, but we are on the right track," said striker Luis Fabiano.

Venezuela, a baseball nation, is the only country in South America where football is not the most popular sport. Yet its national team still clung to a remote chance of making it to South Africa until the very last round of the qualifiers.

Also Wednesday, Peru beat Bolivia 1-0 Wednesday in Lima in a clash between the bottom teams in the South American qualifiers. Both teams had long been out of the race for a place in South Africa 2010.

Johan Fano scored the lone goal in the 53rd minute of a very poor- quality match. (dpa)