World Cup berth at stake as Argentina visit Paraguay

World Cup berth at stake as Argentina visit Paraguay Buenos Aires  - Argentina were stunned by a weekend defeat against Brazil, but they may end up knocked out altogether if the fail to win Wednesday in Paraguay.

Argentine fans are seriously wondering whether their team - a football powerhouse and the winner of two editions of the World Cup - can actually miss South Africa 2010. And that is so far a very real possibility.

Brazil have already qualified for the World Cup, while Paraguay and Chile only need to get a point in three matches to seal their berths.

Argentina are currently first in the race for South America's last guaranteed place in South Africa, with 22 points in 15 rounds of qualifiers. However, Colombia and Ecuador trail by just two points, while Uruguay and Venezuela are on 18 points.

These five teams are fighting for a definite World Cup berth and for fifth-place, which grants the holder a further chance to qualify, in a play-off against a team from North or Central America or the Caribbean. And three out of the five teams will be left with nothing.

As things stand, Argentina has an edge because they currently hold fourth place. However, their by-now-desperate efforts will clash Wednesday with Paraguay's desire to settle qualification.

Paraguay midfielder Edgar Barreto noted Monday that the task at hand is to make the most of the rival's "anxiety."

Argentina coach Diego Maradona was visibly upset by Saturday's 3-1 defeat to arch-rivals Brazil at home in Rosario. But he vowed to keep up the fight for the World Cup.

"We have to keep going, we should not surrender. We'll go to Paraguay with all the spirit that we can muster," he said after the game.

And Paraguay's Argentine-born coach Gerardo Martino knows that things will not be easy. He had said last week that the match would be "a lot more difficult" if Argentina lost to Brazil, and he insisted that overconfidence would be wrong in the face of "one of the most powerful teams in the world."

However, striker Lionel Messi - arguably the best player in the world - has consistently failed to perform with the national team at the high level he displays at Barcelona. The likes of Carlos Tevez and Sergio Aguero also fail to shine, and Brazil again exposed the shocking vulnerability of Argentina's defence.

As their neighbours try to redress course at the last minute, Brazil are set to host Chile Wednesday in Salvador. The only South American side that has already secured a place in South Africa will be without Kaka, Lucio and Luis Fabiano, suspended, and without Robinho, injured.

However, coach Carlos Dunga wants no complacency ahead of the World Cup.

"It would be too presumptuous to say that (we) are ready a year in advance. We are on the right track, we are working," he noted.

Dunga knows that his men are automatically favourites for South Africa 2010, but he took care to stress that this is worth little unless the team builds on it.

"Brazil, if they take 11 kids from the street, will already be favourites in the World Cup, only because of the shirt. But we will need to offer football and to win on the pitch," he said.

First, however, they will have to deal with Chile, and Chile's Argentine-born coach Marcelo Bielsa has vowed "to attack more than to defend" in their trip to Salvador.

Also Saturday, in the 16th round of the South American qualifiers, Uruguay will host Colombia, Peru will travel to Venezuela, and Ecuador will face Bolivia with the additional hurdle of high altitude in La Paz.  dpa