 |
| Uruguay's Luis Suarez celebrates after scoring against Brazil. |
Luis Suarez scored a second-half equalizer in his first game back from a two-year international ban as Uruguay rallied to draw Brazil 2-2 Friday in a South American World Cup qualifier.
Suarez, after few chances in the first half, scored in the 48th minute, beating Brazil keeper Alisson on a 10-meter (10-yard) left-footed shot as he broke in from the left side.
Suarez almost scored the winner in the 86th but was stopped by Alisson from short-range.
It was a perfect return for the Barcelona star after being banned from the international game for nearly two years for biting Italian defender Giorgio Chiellini in the 2014 World Cup.
Uruguay has 10 points in five matches, three points behind leader Ecuador. Brazil moved level with Argentina and Paraguay in third position with eight points.
Brazil took an early 2-0 lead, but Uruguay dominated the second half, bringing jeers from a sellout crowd in a stadium in northeastern Brazil built for the 2014 World Cup.
Brazil took the lead after only 39 seconds on Douglas Costa's goal on a pass from Willian on the right wing. Renato Augusto made it 2-0 in the 26th minute, scoring on a through-ball from Neymar.
Uruguay then cut the lead to 2-1 in the 32nd when Edinson Cavani scored, knocking in a backward header from Carlos Sanchez.
Neymar picked up a yellow card in the match and will miss Brazil's next qualifier against Paraguay on Tuesday.
Also Tuesday in the next series of matches, it's Colombia vs. Ecuador, Uruguay vs. Peru, Argentina vs. Bolivia, and Venezuela vs. Chile.
