Late goal rescues Brazil in 2-2 thriller in Paraguay

Dani Alves scored in injury time as Brazil fought back from two goals down to earn a 2-2 draw with Paraguay in a World Cup qualifier in Asuncion on Tuesday.

Alves showed a nice piece of close control inside the box before curling the ball into the corner two minutes into stoppage time to rescue the visitors after Paraguay had tried to sit back and defend a 2-1 lead from early in the second half.

"That is the spirit of the team," Alves told reporters. "As I told my team mates, for us to win here we needed not just quality but also fight and attitude and we had that today."

The draw saw Brazil fall to sixth place on nine points in the 10-team South American qualifying group, four behind leaders Uruguay and Ecuador.

The top four teams qualify automatically for Russia in 2018 with the fifth-placed team going into an intercontinental playoff.

Paraguay, also on nine points, went ahead after 39 minutes when Dario Lezcano got on the end of a cross from Edgar Benitez and while he hit the ball into the ground, it bounced up to deceive goalkeeper Alisson and defenders on the line.

Brazil coach Dunga introduced Hulk in place of midfielder Fernandinho after the break in a bid to get back on level terms but Paraguay doubled their lead three minutes into the second hand.

Benitez collected a pass on the edge of the box and calmly slotted the ball past Alisson, while Alves stopped to appeal for offside.

Brazil's Gil had a goal disallowed for climbing after 62 minutes but they eventually got the goal their second half dominance deserved with 12 minutes remaining.

Paraguay goalkeeper Justo Villar could not hold Hulk's 25-yard drive and Ricardo Oliveira fired the rebound home.

In the day's other games, Uruguay moved top on 13 points after defeating Peru 1-0 at home. Ecuador lost their first game in the competition, going down 3-1 in Colombia, to fall behind Uruguay on goal difference.

Argentina and Chile, who beat bottom two Bolivia and Venezuela, are third and fourth.