Brazilians enjoying rival Argentina’s struggle in WCup qualifying as much as its own wins

Brazilians enjoying Argentina’s World Cup struggle

SAO PAULO — Argentina’s struggles are giving as much joy to Brazilians as their own team’s secured World Cup berth and 11-match winning streak.

While Brazil easily clinched a spot in next year’s tournament in South Africa, Argentina was in danger of missing out on soccer’s biggest showcase after three consecutive losses — including a home defeat to Brazil last Saturday.

A day after Brazil defeated Chile 4-2 at home without regular starters Kaka, Lucio, Luis Fabiano and Robinho, and Argentina lost 1-0 at Paraguay, the local sports daily Lance ran a front-page headline on Thursday reading “Total Joy.”

“Already in the World Cup, Brazil has fun in victory over Chile and with another loss by Argentina,” Lance said.

Fans have been thrilled with Brazil’s success and Argentina’s recent woes.

“That’s the way it should always be,” 51-year-old flower salesman Manuel Mauricio said. “Brazil on top and Argentina in trouble. That’s how we like it over here.”

Although Brazil has not been playing with its usual flair recently, Dunga’s team has won over Brazilian fans with its efficiency.

Even President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, an avid soccer fan who constantly criticized Dunga’s teams in the past, has changed his mind.

“Dunga is on the right track, Brazil is playing with extraordinary balance,” Silva said on Thursday. “Brazil finally has put together a national team which actually looks like a national team.”

Brazil has won 11 straight matches since a 1-1 draw at Ecuador in March, four shy of Spain’s record. The Brazilians are unbeaten in 19 matches following a 2-0 defeat at Paraguay in June 2008.

Brazil leads South American qualifying with 33 points, three more than Paraguay and six more than Chile, which would have qualified with a win over Brazil. Ecuador was fourth with 23 and Argentina dropped to fifth with 22.

Paraguay has also secured one of the top four automatic berths in South America.

The fifth-placed nation faces a playoff with the No. 4 team in CONCACAF.

“Argentina loses and is farther away from the World Cup,” the Folha de S. Paulo newspaper, Brazil’s largest, said just below its front-page headline on Brazil’s victory over Chile.

“Brazil wins and Argentina loses again,” the Estado de S. Paulo daily said on its front page.

Argentina, coached by 1986 World Cup hero Diego Maradona, hasn’t won in qualifying since a 1-0 victory against Colombia in Buenos Aires in June. It has lost three straight matches to Ecuador, Brazil — after Maradona promised a win — and Paraguay.

“The worst thing it can happen for a national team like Brazil or like Argentina is to stay out of the World Cup,” Kaka said after Brazil’s win over the rival. “It’s something that will keep the players from sleeping well. I imagine this is happening with them right now.”