BARRANQUILLA (REUTERS) - Brazil and Uruguay both recorded victories in the World Cup qualifiers on Friday (Nov 13), setting up a meeting in Montevideo next week that Brazilian defender Marquinhos predicted would be another "war" between the old rivals.
"We know that the games against Uruguay are always a war," the Paris St-Germain captain said after Brazil's hard-fought 1-0 win over Venezuela, with Roberto Firmino netting the winner..
"We have to go there prepared because it will be a difficult game. They are a strong side, with tradition, with quality, with a great defence. We are going to work over the next few days so we can go there and play well and win points away from home."
They will face a side who are on a high after a comfortable 3-0 win away at Colombia. Edinson Cavani scored after five minutes, Luis Suarez doubled their lead from the penalty spot early in the second half and Darwin Nunez rounded off the scoring in 73 minutes.
The results leave Brazil at the top of the South American qualifying group for Qatar 2022 as the only team to have won all three of their first games.
Uruguay are fourth, with six points. Although Brazil struggled to break down a solid Venezuelan defence, they are already expecting another slog in the autumn air of the Centenario stadium on Tuesday.
"It will be a difficult game, Uruguay had an important win today but we know what we are capable of," Brazilian midfielder Allan said.
The Everton player, however, was optimistic the Uruguayans will be more positive than the defensive Venezuelans and that will mean more chances and a better spectacle for fans watching at home.
"I think it will be completely different game against Uruguay, they will come and play and that will leave spaces for our forwards to create."
Uruguay's Edinson Cavani scored early and fellow striker Luis Suarez converted a second-half penalty, , as they beat Colombia 3-0 in Friday's (Nov 13) World Cup qualifier.
Uruguay's Cavani got the opener after Nahitan Nandez had done the hard work in midfield by robbing the ball and setting him up to fire home a low right-foot shot.
Suarez then added to the lead nine minutes into the second period when he scored from the spot after Jeison Murillo brought down Rodrigo Bentancur.
Darwin Nunez completed the scoring when his pot shot from 25m beat the diving David Ospina.
Yerry Mina was sent off for Colombia after a second yellow card in the final minute of the game to complete a miserable afternoon for the home side.
Suarez's goal was his 63rd international strike and came after he scored twice from the penalty spot in Uruguay's 4-2 loss to Ecuador and once in their 2-1 win over Chile in their opening qualifier last month.
The victory takes Uruguay to six points after three games, while seventh-placed Colombia, who beat Venezuela and drew away to Chile in their first two games, have four. Argentina are second on seven points.
The top four sides in the 10-team South American group qualify automatically for the 2022 Finals and the fifth-placed team go into an inter-regional playoff.
Uruguay now travel home to face Brazil on Tuesday when Colombia will be away to Ecuador.
