Hosts Brazil to face Argentina on Saturday while Paraguay play Uruguay for a place in the FIFA World Cup
Brazil and Paraguay comfortably topped their groups, both scoring nine on the final day on the group stages to hand second-place finishes to Argentina and Uruguay, both of which are already through to the semi-finals.
Brazil will now face Argentina in the semi-finals and the reward is much more than simply a place in the final of CONMEBOL Eliminatorias Mundial FIFA Fútbol Playa Brasil 2019, but also a ticket to the FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup in Paraguay.
In the other semi-final match, Paraguay will face Uruguay. If Paraguay make it to the final, then the teams that lose in the semi-finals will still be in for a chance of making the FIFA World Cup, and will play an intense third-place play-off for the final berth.
On the final day of group stage action in the CONMEBOL Eliminatorias, the reigning world champions handed Uruguay their first defeat in Rio, beating them 9-1 to top Group A.
At the bottom end of the group, Bolivia and Ecuador fought in a play-off to avoid bottom place, which Ecuador won by six goal to three.
Topping Group B, also by scoring nine goals, was Paraguay, who swept aside Argentina 9-3. Venezuela missed out on their last chance for points in the group stages with a 3-5 loss to Chile.
The battle will resume after a rest day on Saturday when, alongside the semi-finals, the play-offs will be contested to decide the final finishing places.
Results and fixtures:
GROUP STAGE (28/04):
Uruguay 8 – 5 Colombia
Brazil 11 – 1 Bolivia
Paraguay 5 – 3 Chile
Peru 6 (1) – (3) 6 Argentina
GROUP STAGE (29/04)
Argentina 5 – 4 Venezuela
Paraguay 7 – 2 Peru
Uruguay 4 – 3 Ecuador
Brazil 9 – 5 Colombia
GROUP STAGE (30/04)
Ecuador 4 – 8 Colombia
Uruguay 5 – 1 Bolivia
Venezuela 4 – 5 Peru *AET
Argentina 3 – 2 Chile *AET
GROUP STAGE (01/05)
Chile 5 – 8 Peru
Paraguay 5 – 4 Venezuela *AET
Bolivia 4 – 6 Colombia
Brazil 11 – 2 Ecuador
GROUP STAGE (02/05)
Venezuela 3 – 5 Chile
Ecuador 6 – 3 Bolivia
Paraguay 9 – 3 Argentina
Brazil 9 – 1 Uruguay
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(04/05)
Brazil v Argentina (Semi-final)
Paraguay v Uruguay (Semi-final)
Ecuador v Chile (7th-place play-off)
Bolivia v Venezuela (9th-place play-off)
(05/05)
FINAL
3rd-place play-off
Colombia v Peru (5th-place play-off)
Stay up-to-date on the results, fixtures and standings of the CONMEBOL Eliminatorias Mundial FIFA Fútbol Playa Brasil 2019 on the Beach Soccer Worldwide website.
PHOTO: RODRIGO GALVÃO (CBSB)
