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Brazil took the lead after 10 minutes when Neymar chested down a
pass from Fred and rounded the keeper before firing low between
two defenders on the goal-line.
Raphinha made it 2-0 after 18 minutes when he bundled home a
parried shot from close range and then made it 3-0 after 58
minutes, completing a superb counterattack with an angled shot.
Luis Suarez scored a consolation goal for Uruguay with a 77th
minute free kick before Gabriel Barbosa restored Brazil’s
three-goal cushion with a header seven minutes from time.
"This couldn't be more memorable for me," Raphinha said. "This
is me fulfilling my childhood dream. It's so gratifying to
score.
"It's going to be very difficult to forget this night."
Both Neymar and Raphinha could have scored more, with Uruguayan
keeper Fernando Muslera thwarting both in quick succession early
in the second half.
It was a measure of Brazil’s superiority that Muslera was
Uruguay’s best player on a poor night for the visitors, who have
now won only two of their last nine qualifiers.
Brazil are now six points clear in the South American qualifying
group, ahead of second-placed Argentina who beat Peru 1-0 on
Thursday.
The top four qualify automatically for Qatar 2022 and the
fifth-placed side goes into an inter-regional playoff.
Also on Thursday, Chile beat Venezuela 3-0 to record their
second successive win. Erick Pulgar scored twice in the first
half, both off Alexis Sanchez assists, and Ben Brereton made it
3-0 17 minutes from time to lift Chile onto 13 points in sixth
place.
Venezuela, who have lost nine of 12 qualifiers, are bottom of
the group on seven points, four adrift of Peru.
(Reporting by Andrew Downie in London; Editing by Peter
Rutherford)
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