Brazil beat visiting Peru, 1-0, in a World Cup qualifier yesterday, in Goiania, Brazil. The reigning World Cup champion struggled to get past Peru's tight defensive scheme and outshot Peru by only 13-8. Kaka scored in the 73rd minute off a pass from Ronaldo.
"We didn't play as good as we wanted in the first half," Brazil Coach Carlos Alberto Parreira said. "A team like Brazil, with the players we have, should've created more scoring chances than it did."
Kaka, right, embraces Ronaldinho after scoring against Peru in Brazil's 1-0 victory. Kaka struck off a pass from Ronaldo in the 73rd minute.
(Paulo Whitaker -- Reuters)
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In South America's other qualifier, Ecuador rallied to beat visiting Paraguay, 5-2, in Quito, getting two goals each from Edison Mendez and Antonio Valencia. Paraguay had taken a 2-0 lead on Jose Cardoza's penalty kick in the ninth minute and Salvador Cabañas's goal in the 14th.
Argentina leads South American qualifying with 25 points, two ahead of Brazil. Ecuador is third with 19 points, followed by Paraguay with 16 and Uruguay with 15. The top four nations qualify for the 2006 World Cup in Germany, and the No. 5 team goes to a playoff.
• AFRICA: In Bamako, Mali, fans blocked a main road with flaming tires, and smashed car windows after invading the field. Police fired tear gas as protesters descended on the capital's main African Unity Avenue and screamed about the play of Mali's top players.
"Give us Frederic Kanoute and Mamadou Bakayoko!" they demanded. "We're going to kill them!" Kanoute plays for Tottenham in England and Bakayoko for Nantes in France.
Mali took the lead on Soumaila Coulibaly's goal in the 12th minute. But Salifou Mustapha tied the score in the 83rd minute, and Kader Koubadia put Togo ahead, 2-1, in the 90th. Police fired tear gas at dozens of angry fans who ran onto the field after the goal.
State television cut its live transmission just after police fired the gas canisters.
Thousands of fans, joined by residents who were not at the match, marched to the city center, setting up barricades of burning tires and throwing rocks and stones at traffic lights, billboards and vehicles. The window of Bamako's biggest bakery, the Patisserie Almandine, was smashed and the store was looted. One man was eating a cream cake as he carted a chair away on his head.
"I understand the people's disappointment, but nothing justifies such acts," said presidential spokesman Seydou Sissouma. He said he had heard of no injuries, and that all the soccer players had been "secured" under guard.
In another African qualifier, Achille Webo scored in the 90th minute to give Cameroon a 2-1 win over visiting Sudan. In Yaounde, Geremi Njitap gave Cameroon the lead in the 20th minute from a free kick, but Mugaid Hamed tied it in the 40th.
Didier Drogba, who plays for England's Chelsea, scored two goals, and Bonaventure Kalou added another as Ivory Coast beat Benin, 3-0. Ivory Coast leads Group 3 with 15 points, four ahead of Cameroon.
In other qualifiers, Congo tied Ghana, 1-1; Egypt defeated Libya, 4-1; Rwanda beat Algeria, 1-0; and Zimbabwe beat Angola, 2-0.
