Agency Report

Lucas Paqueta’s instinctive strike gave Brazil a 1-0 World Cup qualifying win over Colombia on Thursday to book their place at Qatar 2022.

The five-time world champions join the hosts and Europeans Germany and Denmark as early qualifiers for next year’s finals.

The have produced a near perfect qualifying campaign, winning 11 of 12 matches — their only blemish a goalless draw in Colombia last month — to qualify with six games to spare.

“This is the fruit of the work we’ve been building for some time,” said the match-winner.

“Now I have to keep working hard to find my space” in the World Cup squad, he added.