BUENOS AIRES (Reuters) – Striker Luis Suarez will miss South American champions Uruguay’s crucial World Cup qualifier in Venezuela, the upstarts threatening to deny them a place in next year’s finals in Brazil.

Suarez, who has scored eight goals in the qualifying campaign, picked up a second booking during Tuesday’s 2-0 loss to Chile in Santiago and is suspended for Uruguay’s June 11 visit to Venezuela.

BUENOS AIRES, March 27 (Reuters) – Striker Luis Suarez will miss South American champions Uruguay’s crucial World Cup qualifier in Venezuela, the upstarts threatening to deny them a place in next year’s finals in Brazil.

Suarez, who has scored eight goals in the qualifying campaign, picked up a second booking during Tuesday’s 2-0 loss to Chile in Santiago and is suspended for Uruguay’s June 11 visit to Venezuela.

BUENOS AIRES (Reuters) – Lionel Messi struggled in the thin air of La Paz, fluffing a gilt-edged chance to end his goal drought against Bolivia, while Colombia marksman Radamel Falcao was kept scoreless in Venezuela on Tuesday.

However, with a rampant Ecuador crushing Paraguay 4-1 in Quito, South America’s top three teams remain in charge of their World Cup qualifying chances as the race for the region’s fourth direct ticket to the 2014 finals in Brazil hotted up.

BUENOS AIRES, March 27 (Reuters) – Lionel Messi struggled in the thin air of La Paz, fluffing a gilt-edged chance to end his goal drought against Bolivia, while Colombia marksman Radamel Falcao was kept scoreless in Venezuela on Tuesday.

However, with a rampant Ecuador crushing Paraguay 4-1 in Quito, South America’s top three teams remain in charge of their World Cup qualifying chances as the race for the region’s fourth direct ticket to the 2014 finals in Brazil hotted up.

BUENOS AIRES (Reuters) – Lionel Messi, still raw as an Argentina player when they were crushed 6-1 by Bolivia in 2009, is now the consummate leader as the teams clash again in the thin air of La Paz in Tuesday’s World Cup qualifier.

Messi and Argentina are in great form and Bolivia fear they will not enjoy the freedom they had to romp through a leaky defence almost at will as their visitors struggled in the thin air nearly 4,000 metres above sea level.

BUENOS AIRES, March 25 (Reuters) – Lionel Messi, still raw as an Argentina player when they were crushed 6-1 by Bolivia in 2009, is now the consummate leader as the teams clash again in the thin air of La Paz in Tuesday’s World Cup qualifier.

Messi and Argentina are in great form and Bolivia fear they will not enjoy the freedom they had to romp through a leaky defence almost at will as their visitors struggled in the thin air nearly 4,000 metres above sea level.

BUENOS AIRES, March 25 (Reuters) – High-flying Argentina, humiliated 6-1 the last time they played Bolivia in La Paz, have the confidence to avoid crashing badly again in the thin air for Tuesday’s World Cup qualifier.

But Argentina coach Alejandro Sabella is taking no chances, mindful of predecessor Diego Maradona’s team and their shock demolition in the equivalent qualifier in 2009.

BUENOS AIRES (Reuters) – Lionel Messi produced another brilliant performance to lead Argentina to a 3-0 win over Venezuela in World Cup qualifying on Friday, but Colombia kept up the chase on the group leaders with a 5-0 demolition of Bolivia.

The duo are the front runners in the nine-nation South American group heading into the final straight of the qualifiers with their coaches looking to ensure there is a good balance of hard work to go with the immense skill.

BUENOS AIRES, March 23 (Reuters) – Lionel Messi produced another brilliant performance to lead Argentina to a 3-0 win over Venezuela in World Cup qualifying on Friday, but Colombia kept up the chase on the group leaders with a 5-0 demolition of Bolivia.

The duo are the front runners in the nine-nation South American group heading into the final straight of the qualifiers with their coaches looking to ensure there is a good balance of hard work to go with the immense skill.

LONDON (Reuters) – Velez Sarsfield landed the top Argentine mid-season transfer by bringing Argentina midfielder Fernando Gago home on loan from Valencia on Thursday.

The Spanish Primera Liga club and the Argentine champions “have reached an agreement for the release of the player Fernando Gago until the end of this season,” said a statement on Valencia’s website (www.valenciacf.com).