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Brazil and Argentina put the mediocrity of recent World Cup qualifying performances behind them this weekend with respective wins that has left them second and third respectively in the table.
Brazil’s 4-0 rout of Venezuela late on Sunday, however, was all the more impressive given what they are alleged to have endured from the moment they touched down on Venezuelan soil.
According to team manager Dunga and the Brazilian football federation (CBF), the five-time world champions’ trip to San Cristobal was taut from the word go.
In an official federation statement, Dunga complained his team were delayed on the tarmac as soon as the plane touched down, and then he claimed the staff at their hotel took part in a dirty tricks campaign to rob his players of sleep.
Adding to Brazil’s list of complaints was the allegation that several top players suffered vomiting before, during and after the match.
A frustrated Dunga did not point any fingers.
Instead, he was quick to highlight his team’s determination to put to rest a string of mediocre displays which saw them pick up only five of a possible 12 points in their previous four games.
“Our performance was even more impressive given the difficulties we had before the match,” said Dunga in the CBF statement.
“First we spent an hour and a half waiting to get off the plane, then during the night some of the hotel staff did their best, by driving cars and motorbikes around the hotel, to make sure we got as little sleep as possible.”
Even worse, according to the CBF, was the fact that several top players – including Lucio, Maicon, Elano and Gilberto Silva – succumbed to vomiting.
Dunga added: “I believe that when other teams face Brazil, the whole country gets behind them. That’s why these matches are always complicated affairs.
“Here we had to overcome quite a few obstacles before getting the win.”
World player of the year Kaka returned after an 11-month international absence to inspire Brazil to the win, the 26-year-old AC Milan on target after just five minutes.
Manchester City ace Robinho also grabbed a share of the headlines with two sublime goals while Inter Milan striker Adriano chipped in with one of his own.
Brazil now have 16 points from nine games, with Argentina, also on 16 points, sit in third due to inferior goal difference.
Argentina coach Alfio Basile could not match Dunga for pre-match drama, but he was quick to hit out at the match referee during his side’s 2-1 victory in Buenos Aires over their other big rivals Uruguay.
“What I take most from this match is that we deserved the win,” said Basile.
“But some of the tackles against us were brutal and the referee did nothing, while at the same time he was quick to rule against us if we made the slightest error.
“There were five yellow cards given to each team. But it’s a mystery, as far as we’re concerned, because we hardly made a foul the whole match.”
Argentina’s win was their first since a 3-0 win over Bolivia almost a year ago.
In their five matches following that win they were defeated once, by Colombia, and drew four times.
Paraguay top the group after maintaining their form with a 1-0 win in Colombia after Salvador Cabanas’s ninth minute goal. Ecuador also beat Chile 1-0.
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