Associated Press

New York, April 1:

Soccer minnows Venezuela and the Maldives pulled off major shockers in World Cup qualifying matches on Thursday.

Traditional doormat Venezuela blanked two-time World Cup champion Uruguay 3-0 in South America, while the Maldives held 2002 semi-finalist South Korea to a 0-0 draw in Asia.

In other South American matches, Paraguay held five-time champion Brazil to a 0-0 draw, while Colombia topped Peru 2-0 to win its first match of the campaign.

Argentina leads the 10-team group with 11 points from five matches, followed by Paraguay with 10 and Brazil and Venezuela with nine each.

In Asian qualifying, Japan, China, Iran, Jordan, Turkmenistan and Saudi Arabia stayed perfect through two matches. Japan topped Singapore 2-1; China beat Hong Kong 1-0; Iran downed Laos 7-0; Jordan nipped Qatar 1-0; Saudi Arabia downed Sri Lanka 1-0; and Turkmenistan beat Indonesia 3-1.

In other Asian matches, it was: Palestine 1, Iraq 1; Taiwan 0, Uzbekistan 1; India 1, Oman 5; Malaysia 0, Kuwait 2; North Korea 0, United Arab Emirates 0; Yemen 0, Thailand 3; Kyrgyzstan 1, Syria 1; Tajikistan 0, Bahrain 0; and Vietnam 0, Lebanon 2.

In Asuncion, Paraguay, visiting Brazil started slowly at the Defensores del Chaco stadium, showing little of its usual flare while struggling to pierce a gritty Paraguayan defence.

Roberto Carlos nearly gave the Brazilians the lead in the 37th minute, but his blistering shot sailed wide and into the side netting.

Ronaldo had a chance early in the second half, but his one-on-one shot against Paraguay goalkeeper Ricardo Tavarelli missed.

International friendly match results: Albania 2,

Iceland 1; Bulgaria 2, Russia 2; Croatia 2, Turkey 2;

El Salvador 0, Guatemala 3; Egypt 2, Trinidad and Tobago 1; Estonia 0, Northern Ireland 1; Germany 3, Belgium 0; Greece 1, Switzerland 0; Hungary 1, Wales 2; Ireland 2, Czech Republic 1; Jamaica 2, Honduras 2; Luxembourg 1, Bosnia 2; Macedonia 1, Ukraine 0; Malta 1, Finland 2; Moldova 2, Azerbaijan 1; Morocco 3, Angola 1; Netherlands 0, France 0;

Poland 0, United States 1; Portugal 1, Italy 2; Scotland 1, Romania 2; Serbia-Montenegro 0, Norway 1;

Slovakia 1, Austria 1; Slovenia 0, Latvia 1; Spain 2, Denmark 0; Sweden 1, England 0; Tunisia 0,

Ivory Coast 2; Mexico 2, Costa Rica 0.