World champions Brazil crashed to a shock 1-0 defeat in Ecuador on Wednesday while home wins for Peru, Colombia and Uruguay kept the South American Football World Cup qualifying group wide open.
Peru beat neighbours Chile 2-1 in a pulsating match, Uruguay captain Paolo Montero escaped a red card and then scored in the 1-0 win over Paraguay and Colombia beat Bolivia by the same score.
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Below them, only three points separate third-placed Paraguay and Ecuador, who are both on 16 points, from ninth-placed Venezuela, who have 13.
The top four teams qualify directly for the Germany finals in 2006 while the fifth plays off against the Oceania region winners.
Brazil striker Ronaldo blamed the altitude after his side were sunk by midfielder Edison Mendez's well-struck shot from the edge of the area.
"I had a big headache, I was short of air and I needed oxygen to breathe," said Ronaldo, who nevertheless played 90 minutes and wasted an excellent chance to equalise when he side-footed wide.
Brazil's players arrived from their European clubs less than 48 hours before kickoff, although several of the Ecuador team also completed transatlantic journeys on Monday.
"It's good, from any point of view, to beat the world champions," said Ecuador coach Luis Fernando Suarez.
"This team has got a lot of good things, a lot of organisation."
ABBONDANZIERI BLUNDER
Argentina never had it easy against Venezuela, despite being gifted a fourth-minute lead in Buenos Aires when Jose Manuel Rey headed into his own net.
Ruberth Moran equalised with a brilliant individual goal, his fifth in the last three games, before a Juan Roman Riquelme free kick gave Argentina a 2-1 halftime lead.
Javier Saviola made it 3-1 before Argentina goalkeeper Roberto Abbondanzieri's blunder allowed Leonel Vielma to pull one back from a free kick.
Peru's 2-1 win over Chile in Lima left both teams level on 13 points, above Venezuela on goal difference.
Second half goals from Jefferson Farfan of PSV Eindhoven and Bayern Munich's Paolo Guerrero put Peru in control.
But there was a dramatic finale as Sebastian Gonzalez pulled an injury-time goal back for Chile, then missed a chance to equalise with the last kick of the game.
Peru defender Santiago Acasiete and Chilean midfielder Rodrigo Melendez were sent off after clashing in the 41st minute.
MONTERO TACKLE
Montero, who returned to the Uruguay team this year after quitting in 2002, headed home in the 78th minute in Montevideo to lift his team to fifth on 14 points.
The 33-year-old Juventus player, however, was lucky to be on the pitch, having escaped with a yellow card after a reckless lunge on an opponent in the first half.
Colombia also needed a headed goal from a defender, Mario Yepes of Paris St Germain giving them a 1-0 home win over Bolivia in Barranquilla.
Colombia moved up to sixth with 13 points while Bolivia, who have 10, have begun to lose touch with the pack.
