Alexis Sanchez stars for Chile, Lionel Messi-less Argentina remain winless

Alexis Sanchez continued his fantastic goalscoring form as Chile followed up their World Cup qualifying win over Brazil with a 4-3 victory over Peru.

The Arsenal forward scored twice in Lima to take his tally to nine goals in five matches.

After Sanchez gave the Copa America champions an early lead, Peru quickly equalised through Jefferson Farfan but then had Christian Cueva sent off for kicking out at Jorge Valdivia.

They still managed to grab the lead when Farfan converted a 36th-minute penalty, only for Eduardo Vargas to pull Chile level four minutes before half-time.

Sanchez restored their advantage in the 44th and Vargas scored his second four minutes into the second half before a late consolation from Paolo Guerrero.

Argentina remain winless and goalless after their first two qualifiers following a 0-0 draw in Paraguay.

Without the injured Lionel Messi and Sergio Aguero, Carlos Tevez was tasked with leading the Argentina attack in Asuncion and headed a good Angel Di Maria cross just over the bar.

Tevez then suffered a broken nose early in the second half when he was hit by defender Victor Caceres's elbow going for a high ball and spent four minutes being bandaged up before returning the fray.

He was eventually substituted in the 75th minute and is still looking for his first Argentina goal in four years.

"We're sorry not to have got the three points which we had come for. I'm not happy with one point because we needed to win the match," said Argentina coach Gerardo Martino.

Brazil bounced back from their defeat to Chile by beating Venezuela 3-1, with Chelsea's Willian scoring twice.

Missing the suspended Neymar, the hosts took the lead after just 40 seconds when Willian fired home from just inside the box.

Three minutes before half-time the midfielder doubled Brazil's lead and although Venezuela pulled one back in the 64th minute through Christian Santos, Ricardo Oliveira restored Brazil's two-goal cushion nine minutes later.

Uruguay top the group on goal difference after shrugging off the absence of suspended strikers Luis Suarez and Edinson Cavani to beat Colombia 3-0.

Diego Godin headed Uruguay into the lead after 33 minutes, Diego Rolan added a second six minutes into the second half and substitute Abel Hernandez got a third after 87 minutes.

"We don't know if we'll get to Russia, for that we must work a lot in all these matches," said Uruguay coach Oscar Tabarez. "We can't hope to win matches just with defensive tactics."

Juan Cuadrado was sent off in the dying moments at the Centenario to cap a miserable night for Colombia, who were without the injured James Rodriguez.

Ecuador followed up their surprise victory over Argentina with a 2-0 win over Bolivia in Quito.

Miller Bolanos got the first goal in the 81st minute and Felipe Caicedo added a second from the penalty spot in injury time after he was felled in the box.