Luis Fabiano struck twice as Brazil stunned arch-rivals Argentina 3-1 away in their World Cup qualifier to reach the 2010 finals.
The defeat, leaves Argentina's chances of reaching the World Cup in South Africa hanging by a thread.
Brazil lead the South American group with 30 points and three games remaining.
They are more than nine points ahead of fifth and sixth-placed Colombia and Ecuador.
The top four qualify automatically while the team finishing fifth goes into a playoff against the fourth-placed team in the CONCACAF region.
Argentina remain in fourth place, eight points behind Brazil, and also behind Chile and Paraguay.
It was 16 years to the day that a 5-0 drubbing by Colombia had twice world champions Argentina needing to win a playoff to reach the 1994 finals in the U.S.
