A first half goal from Ezequiel Lavezzi was canceled out by Lucas Lima in the second period as Brazil escaped with a 1-1 draw against Argentina in Friday's South American World Cup qualifying match. The match had originally been scheduled for Thursday but torrential rain in the Argentine capital had forced officials to postpone the game for 24 hours. Argentina dominated the first half but although Brazil perked up when Douglas Costa replaced Ricardo Oliveira in the second half it would consider itself lucky to secure a point. The home side were without strikers Lionel Messi, Sergio Aguero and Carlos Tevez, but still had the depth to start the game with Angel Di Maria, Gonzalo Higuain and Lavezzi up front. Argentina continued to cause Brazil trouble on both flanks and it finally got the goal it deserved in the 34th minute when Lavezzi stole in between a hesitant David Luiz and Dani Alves to sidefoot home from six yards following a Higuain cross. Brazil got that important second goal with 58 minutes gone when substitute Douglas Costa's header came back off the bar and Lucas Lima hammered home the rebound. The goal boosted Brazil and it enjoyed their best period in the moments after. David Luiz was sent off with two minutes remaining for a brutal tackle on Lucas Biglia with his foot up. The result leaves Argentina in eighth place in the 10-team South American group with just two points after having failed to win any of their first three games. Brazil meanwhile, rise to fifth with one win, one draw and one loss. Heavyweights held goalless The small Comoros Islands and kingdom of Swaziland enjoyed a rare outing in the World Cup spotlightFriday by holding two of African soccer's established powers to goalless draws in the first leg of their second round qualifying ties. The Comoros was denied a famous victory over Ghana in Moroni . The 130th ranked Swaziland also proved combative as it held Nigeria 0-0. But Cameroon scored three goals in a four-minute spell before half-time to win 3-0 away in Niger. African champion Ivory Coast won 1-0 in neighboring Liberia with Belgian-based striker Cyriac Bohi Bi scoring on the stroke of half-time. South Africa conceded a goal to teenage striker Gerson after just 90 seconds but went on to register a 3-1 away victory over Angola in Benguela. In other games it was: Tunisia 2, Mauritania 1; Kenya 1, Cape Verde Islands 0. CONCACAF big guns win CONCACAF big guns Mexico, the United States and Costa Rica all got off to winning starts Friday in their qualifying campaign for the 2018 World Cup in Russia. The fourth round of qualifying in North and Central America and the Caribbean region saw few surprises with the United States crushing Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 6-1, Mexico defeating El Salvador 3-0 and Costa Rica enjoying a 1-0 win over a determined Haiti. The trio all qualified for the last World Cup in Brazil in 2014, with Costa Rica making the last eight and Mexico and the United States going out in the second round. In Group B's other game, Panama enjoyed an impressive 2-0 win in Kingston against 2015 CONCACAF Gold Cup runners-up Jamaica. Trinidad and Tobago got off to a positive start in Group C with a hard-earned 2-1 win in Guatemala. Canada edged Honduras 1-0 in the late Group A game Friday after Will Johnson's first half goal in Vancouver. — Agencies
