Vinicius Júnior's late goal seals Brazil's 2-1 win over Colombia in South American qualifying

SAO PAULO (AP) — A last-minute goal by Vinicius Júnior secured Brazil’s 2-1 win over Colombia in World Cup qualifying on Thursday, helping his team and millions of fans avoid more disappointment.

A draw would have seen Brazil slump to sixth in the South American standings. Instead, Brazil moved to second spot behind Argentina after Vinicius Júnior’s long-range goal.

The top six teams in South America are guaranteed spots at next year’s World Cup in Canada, the U.S. and Mexico, and so the victory released some pressure on Brazil coach Dorival Júnior ahead of next week's game against Argentina. The five-time champions have never missed a World Cup.

Lionel Scaloni's Argentina squad has 25 points after 12 games — four points clear of Brazil (21 points from 13 games) — and is close to securing its place in the 2026 World Cup.

Argentina will be without Lionel Messi when it plays at Uruguay on Friday, four days before its scheduled showdown with Brazil. The last time the two South American powerhouses met, Argentina won 1-0 at the Maracana Stadium in Rio de Janeiro in 2023.

Brazil midfielder Bruno Guimarães and defender Gabriel Magalhães were booked against Colombia and will miss the match in Buenos Aires on Tuesday.

Goalkeeper Alisson and Colombian defender Davinson Sánchez were substituted in the concussion protocol, and will also miss the next match in World Cup qualifying.

Colombia will play host to Paraguay next week.

Brazil appeared more energized than in previous games, with speed, high skill and an early goal from the spot suggesting that coach Dorival Júnior had found a starting lineup to get the job done.

But then a defensive mistake put it all at risk for the hosts in Brasilia until a moment of brilliance by Vinicius Júnior.

Raphinha scored in the 6th minute after Vinicius Júnior was fouled in the penalty box. After that, Brazil kept possession, but didn't put on real pressure to add a second in front of 70,000 fans.

Colombia equalized with a crossed shot by Luis Diaz in the 41st, assisted by James Rodríguez. The visitors got the ball at the edge of Brazil's box from substitute Joeliton, who replaced injured Gerson.

Both teams struggled with accuracy in the second half until Vinicius Júnior took a shot from long distance which deflected off Jefferson Lerma and beat goalkeeper Camilo Vargas.

“This was very important, we deserved to win. I deserved this goal too for all I have worked for,” Vinicius Júnior said of his first goal in this qualifying tournament. “It was a bit of relief, a bit of happiness.”

Brazil coach Dorival Júnior said the win was key “because of our moment, our situation and for our process.”

“We're feeling now that we are on a path. It's not all ideal, but we will be improving every round."

Colombia coach Néstor Lorenzo was upset with the result.

“We had a great match again and we leave with nothing,” Lorenzo said. “We deserved more, once again.” Colombia is in 6th place with 19 points.

Paraguay remained unbeaten under coach Gustavo Alfaro with a tense 1-0 win over Chile in front of raucous fans in Asuncion. The hosts dominated most of the match and maintained pressure on their rivals, who could barely create scoring opportunities.

Omar Alderete scored the winner on the hour with a classic Paraguayan strategy: a set piece led to two headers that enabled Alderete to shoot from close range. It boosted Paraguay's chances of qualifying for the World Cup.

Paraguay has 20 points and is fourth in the standings. Chile, with nine points, is last in the round-robin competition.

Also on Thursday, Peru beat Bolivia 3-1. Andy Polo scored in the 37th minute, Paolo Guerrero added a second in the 45th and Edison Flores finished it off in 82nd. Miguel Terceros netted Bolivia's goal from the spot in the 58th minute.

Bolivia remains in seventh place with 13 points, which keeps the team in contention for inter-continental playoffs for World Cup spots. Peru has 10 points and is in ninth place.

AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer

Peru's Paolo Guerrero, right, and Bolivia's Efrain Morales vie for the ball during a FIFA World Cup 2026 qualifying soccer match in Lima, Peru, Thursday, March 20, 2025. (AP Photo/Martin Mejia)

Paraguay's Omar Alderete, center, is congratulated by teammates after scoring his side's opening goal against Chile during a qualifying soccer match for the FIFA World Cup 2026 at the Defensores del Chaco Stadium in Asuncion, Paraguay, Thursday, March 20, 2025. (AP Photo/Nolberto Duarte)

Brazil's Raphinha celebrates after scoring his side's opening goal against Colombia from the penalty spot during a FIFA World Cup 2026 qualifying soccer match at Mane Garrincha stadium in Brasilia, Brazil, Thursday, March 20, 2025. (AP Photo/Eraldo Peres)

Colombia's Luis Diaz, center, celebrates with teammates after scoring his side's opening goal against Brazil during a FIFA World Cup 2026 qualifying soccer match at Mane Garrincha stadium in Brasilia, Brazil, Thursday, March 20, 2025.(AP Photo/Eraldo Peres)

Brazil's Vinicius Junior falls during a FIFA World Cup 2026 qualifying soccer match against Colombia at Mane Garrincha stadium in Brasilia, Brazil, Thursday, March 20, 2025. (AP Photo/Silvia Izquierdo)

Brazil's Vinicius Junior celebrates after scoring his side's second goal against Colombia during a FIFA World Cup 2026 qualifying soccer match at Mane Garrincha stadium in Brasilia, Brazil, Thursday, March 20, 2025. (AP Photo/Eraldo Peres)

ST. LOUIS (AP) — World champions Ilia Malinin and the ice dance duo of Madison Chock and Evan Bates will anchor one of the strongest U.S. Figure Skating teams in history when they head to Italy for the Milan Cortina Olympics in less than a month.

Malinin, fresh off his fourth straight national title, will be the prohibitive favorite to follow in the footsteps of Nathan Chen by delivering another men's gold medal for the American squad when he steps on the ice at the Milano Ice Skating Arena.

Chock and Bates, who won their record-setting seventh U.S. title Saturday night, also will be among the Olympic favorites, as will world champion Alysa Liu and women's teammate Amber Glenn, fresh off her third consecutive national title.

U.S. Figure Skating announced its full squad of 16 athletes for the Winter Games during a made-for-TV celebration Sunday.

"I'm just so excited for the Olympic spirit, the Olympic environment," Malinin said. “Hopefully go for that Olympic gold.”

Malinin will be joined on the men's side by Andrew Torgashev, the all-or-nothing 24-year-old from Coral Springs, Florida, and Maxim Naumov, the 24-year-old from Simsbury, Connecticut, who fulfilled the hopes of his late parents by making the Olympic team.

Vadim Naumov and Evgenia Shishkova were returning from a talent camp in Kansas when their American Airlines flight collided with a military helicopter and crashed into the icy Potomac River in January 2025. One of the last conversations they had with their son was about what it would take for him to follow in their footsteps by becoming an Olympian.

“We absolutely did it,” Naumov said. “Every day, year after year, we talked about the Olympics. It means so much in our family. It's what I've been thinking about since I was 5 years old, before I even know what to think. I can't put this into words.”

Chock and Bates helped the Americans win team gold at the Beijing Games four years ago, but they finished fourth — one spot out of the medals — in the ice dance competition. They have hardly finished anywhere but first in the years since, winning three consecutive world championships and the gold medal at three straight Grand Prix Finals.

U.S. silver medalists Emilea Zingas and Vadym Kolesnik also made the dance team, as did the Canadian-born Christina Carreira, who became eligible for the Olympics in November when her American citizenship came through, and Anthony Ponomarenko.

Liu was picked for her second Olympic team after briefly retiring following the Beijing Games. She had been burned out by years of practice and competing, but stepping away seemed to rejuvenate the 20-year-old from Clovis, California, and she returned to win the first world title by an American since Kimmie Meissner stood atop the podium two decades ago.

Now, the avant-garde Liu will be trying to help the U.S. win its first women's medal since Sasha Cohen in Turin in 2006, and perhaps the first gold medal since Sarah Hughes triumphed four years earlier at the Salt Lake City Games.

Her biggest competition, besides a powerful Japanese contingent, could come from her own teammates: Glenn, a first-time Olympian, has been nearly unbeatable the past two years, while 18-year-old Isabeau Levito is a former world silver medalist.

"This was my goal and my dream and it just feels so special that it came true,” said Levito, whose mother is originally from Milan.

The two pairs spots went to Ellie Kam and Danny O'Shea, the U.S. silver medalists, and the team of Emily Chan and Spencer Howe.

The top American pairs team, two-time reigning U.S. champions Alisa Efimova and Misha Mitrofanov, were hoping that the Finnish-born Efimova would get her citizenship approved in time to compete in Italy. But despite efforts by the Skating Club of Boston, where they train, and the help of their U.S. senators, she did not receive her passport by the selection deadline.

“The importance and magnitude of selecting an Olympic team is one of the most important milestones in an athlete's life,” U.S. Figure Skating CEO Matt Farrell said, "and it has such an impact, and while there are sometimes rules, there is also a human element to this that we really have to take into account as we make decisions and what's best going forward from a selection process.

“Sometimes these aren't easy," Farrell said, “and this is not the fun part.”

The fun is just beginning, though, for the 16 athletes picked for the powerful American team.

AP Olympics: https://apnews.com/hub/milan-cortina-2026-winter-olympics

Amber Glenn competes during the women's free skating competition at the U.S. Figure Skating Championships, Friday, Jan. 9, 2026, in St. Louis. (AP Photo/Stephanie Scarbrough)

Alysa Liu skates during the "Making Team USA" performance at the U.S. Figure Skating Championships, Sunday, Jan. 11, 2026, in St. Louis. (AP Photo/Stephanie Scarbrough)

Maxim Naumov skates during the "Making Team USA" performance at the U.S. Figure Skating Championships, Sunday, Jan. 11, 2026, in St. Louis. (AP Photo/Stephanie Scarbrough)

Madison Chock and Evan Bates skate during the "Making the Team" performance at the U.S. Figure Skating Championships, Sunday, Jan. 11, 2026, in St. Louis. (AP Photo/Stephanie Scarbrough)

Gold medalist Ilia Malinin arrives for the metal ceremony after the men's free skate competition at the U.S. Figure Skating Championships, Saturday, Jan. 10, 2026, in St. Louis. (AP Photo/Jeff Roberson)