WRAPUP 1-Soccer-Bad day for Brazil, Argentina in qualifiers

By Brian Homewood

RIO DE JANEIRO, June 16 (Reuters) - Brazil lost 2-0 to 10-man Paraguay and Argentina needed a stoppage-time equaliser to hold Ecuador 1-1 at home in South American World Cup qualifiers on Sunday.

Chile completed a dramatic day by winning 2-0 at high altitude in Bolivia with two goals from defender Gary Medel, the first a bicycle kick.

Brazil and Argentina's poor displays should add to the usual spice when the two meet in Belo Horizonte on Wednesday in the next round of matches.

Paraguay's win in Asuncion, their fourth in the last eight matches against Brazil, took them three points clear at the top of the 10-team group with 13 points from five games.

Argentina are second with 10, followed by Colombia (9), Brazil (8), Venezuela and Chile (7) and Uruguay (5).

The top four teams qualify directly for the 2010 World Cup and the fifth play off against a side from the CONCACAF region.

Paraguay twice hit the woodwork and were rarely troubled by Brazil despite having defender Dario Veron sent off in the 48th minute.

Striker Roque Santa Cruz side-footed Paraguay ahead from close range in the 26th minute and set up the second for Salvador Cabanas one minute after Veron's dismissal.