View source for 1978 FIFA World Cup qualification (CONMEBOL)

{{Infobox international football competition
| tourney_name = 1978 FIFA World Cup qualification (CONMEBOL)
| dates = {{nowrap|20 February 1977 – 14 July 1977}}
| num_teams = 9
| confederations = 1
| matches = 21
| goals = 55
| attendance = 
| top_scorer = {{flagicon|BRA|1968}} [[Zico (footballer)|Zico]] <br>(5 goals)
| nextseason = [[1982 FIFA World Cup qualification (CONMEBOL)|1982]]
| prevseason = [[1974 FIFA World Cup qualification (CONMEBOL)|1974]]
}}
{{Qualification for championships (CONMEBOL)}}
Listed below are the dates and results for the '''[[1978 FIFA World Cup]] [[FIFA World Cup qualification|qualification]]''' rounds for the '''South American Zone ([[CONMEBOL]])'''. For an overview of the qualification rounds, see the article ''[[1978 FIFA World Cup qualification]]''.

A total of 10 CONMEBOL teams entered the competition. The South American zone was allocated 3.5 places (out of 16) in the final tournament. [[Argentina national football team|Argentina]], the hosts, qualified automatically, leaving 2.5 spots open for competition between 9 teams.

==Format==
There would be two rounds of play:
* '''First Round''': The 9 teams were divided into 3 groups of 3 teams each. The teams would play against each other on a home-and-away basis. The group winners would advance to the Final Round.
* '''Final Round''': The 3 teams would play against each other once in a neutral venue. The group winner and runner-up would qualify. The third-placed team would advance to the UEFA / CONMEBOL Intercontinental Play-off.

==First round==

===Group 1===

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align: center;"
|-
!width=30|Rank
!width=165 style="text-align:left;"|Team
!width=20|{{Tooltip|Pts|Points}}
!width=20|{{Tooltip|Pld|Matches played}}
!width=20|{{Tooltip|W|Matches won}}
!width=20|{{Tooltip|D|Matches drawn}}
!width=20|{{Tooltip|L|Matches lost}}
!width=20|{{Tooltip|GF|Goals for}}
!width=20|{{Tooltip|GA|Goals against}}
!width=20|{{Tooltip|GD|Goal difference}}
|- style="background:#ffebad;"
|'''1'''
|style="text-align:left;"|{{Fb|BRA|1968}}
|'''6'''||4||2||2||0||8||1||+7
|-
|'''2'''
|style="text-align:left;"|{{Fb|PAR|1954}}
|'''4'''||4||1||2||1||3||3||0
|-
|'''3'''
|style="text-align:left;"|{{Fb|COL}}
|'''2'''||4||0||2||2||1||8||&minus;7
|}

{{Football box
|date = 20 February 1977
|team1 = {{Fb-rt|COL}}
|score = 0 &ndash; 0
|report = [https://www.futeboldaselecaobrasileira.com.br/1977/02/colombia-0-x-0-brasil.html Report]
|team2 = {{Fb|BRA|1968}}
|stadium = [[El Campín]], [[Bogotá]]
|referee = Comesaña ([[Asociación del Fútbol Argentino|Argentina]])
}}
----
{{Football box
|date = 24 February 1977
|team1 = {{Fb-rt|COL}}
|score = 0 &ndash; 1
|team2 = {{Fb|PAR|1954}}
|goals2 = [[Carlos Jara Saguier|Jara]] {{Goal|26}}
|stadium = [[El Campín]], [[Bogotá]]
|referee = Orozco Guerrero ([[Federación Peruana de Fútbol|Peru]])
}}
----
{{Football box
|date = 6 March 1977
|team1 = {{Fb-rt|PAR|1954}}
|score = 1 &ndash; 1
|team2 = {{Fb|COL}}
|goals1 = [[Carlos Jara Saguier|Jara]] {{Goal|90}}
|goals2 = [[Eduardo Vilarete|Vilarete]] {{Goal|58}}
|stadium = [[Defensores del Chaco]], [[Asunción]]
|referee = Cerullo Giuliano ([[Asociación Uruguaya de Fútbol|Uruguay]])
}}
----
{{Football box
|date = 9 March 1977
|team1 = {{Fb-rt|BRA|1968}}
|score = 6 &ndash; 0
|report = [https://www.futeboldaselecaobrasileira.com.br/1977/03/brasil-6-x-0-colombia.html Report]
|team2 = {{Fb|COL}}
|goals1 = [[Roberto Dinamite|Roberto]] {{Goal|15||31}}<br /> [[Zico (footballer)|Zico]] {{Goal|25}}<br /> [[Marinho Chagas|Marinho]] {{Goal|41||55}}<br /> [[Rivellino]] {{Goal|85}}
|stadium = [[Maracanã Stadium|Maracanã]], [[Rio de Janeiro]]
|referee = Coerezza ([[Asociación del Fútbol Argentino|Argentina]])
}}
----
{{Football box
|date = 13 March 1977
|team1 = {{Fb-rt|PAR|1954}}
|score = 0 &ndash; 1
|report = [https://www.futeboldaselecaobrasileira.com.br/1977/03/paraguai-0-x-1-brasil.html Report]
|team2 = {{Fb|BRA|1968}}
|goals2 = [[José Domingo Insfrán|Insfrán]] {{Goal|59|o.g.}}
|stadium = [[Defensores del Chaco]], [[Asunción]]
|referee = Pestarino ([[Asociación del Fútbol Argentino|Argentina]])
}}
----
{{Football box
|date = 20 March 1977
|team1 = {{Fb-rt|BRA|1968}}
|score = 1 &ndash; 1
|report = [https://www.futeboldaselecaobrasileira.com.br/1977/03/brasil-1-x-1-paraguai.html Report]
|team2 = {{Fb|PAR|1954}}
|goals1 = [[Roberto Dinamite|Roberto]] {{Goal|6|pen.}}
|goals2= [[Carlos José Báez|Báez]] {{Goal|54}}
|stadium = [[Maracanã Stadium|Maracanã]], [[Rio de Janeiro]]
|referee = [[Ramón Barreto|Barreto Ruiz]] ([[Asociación Uruguaya de Fútbol|Uruguay]])
}}

'''Brazil''' advanced to the Final Round.

===Group 2===
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align: center;"
|-
!width=30|Rank
!width=165 style="text-align:left;"|Team
!width=20|{{Tooltip|Pts|Points}}
!width=20|{{Tooltip|Pld|Matches played}}
!width=20|{{Tooltip|W|Matches won}}
!width=20|{{Tooltip|D|Matches drawn}}
!width=20|{{Tooltip|L|Matches lost}}
!width=20|{{Tooltip|GF|Goals for}}
!width=20|{{Tooltip|GA|Goals against}}
!width=20|{{Tooltip|GD|Goal difference}}
|- style="background:#ffebad;"
|'''1'''
|style="text-align:left;"|{{Fb|BOL}}
|'''7'''||4||3||1||0||8||3||+5
|-
|'''2'''
|style="text-align:left;"|{{Fb|URU}}
|'''4'''||4||1||2||1||5||4||+1
|-
|'''3'''
|style="text-align:left;"|{{Fb|VEN|1954}}
|'''1'''||4||0||1||3||2||8||&minus;6
|}

{{Football box
|date = 9 February 1977
|team1 = {{Fb-rt|VEN|1954}}
|score = 1 &ndash; 1
|team2 = {{Fb|URU}}
|goals1 = [[Vicente Flores (footballer)|Flores]] {{Goal|88}}
|goals2 = [[Washington Oliveira|Oliveira]] {{Goal|5}}
|stadium = [[Brígido Iriarte]], [[Caracas]]
|referee = Ramirez ([[Federación Colombiana de Fútbol|Colombia]])
}}
----
{{Football box
|date = 27 February 1977
|team1 = {{Fb-rt|BOL}}
|score = 1 &ndash; 0
|team2 = {{Fb|URU}}
|goals1 = [[Porfirio Jiménez (Bolivian footballer)|Jiménez]] {{Goal|48}}
|stadium = [[Estadio Libertador Simón Bolívar]], [[La Paz]]
|referee = [[Romualdo Arppi Filho|Arppi Filho]] ([[Brazilian Football Confederation|Brazil]])
}}
----
{{Football box
|date = 6 March 1977
|team1 = {{Fb-rt|VEN|1954}}
|score = 1 &ndash; 3
|team2 = {{Fb|BOL}}
|goals1 = [[Rafael Iriarte|Iriarte]] {{Goal|86}}
|goals2 = [[Ovidio Mezza|Mezza]] {{Goal|5}}<br /> [[Porfirio Jiménez (Bolivian footballer)|Jiménez]] {{Goal|76}}<br /> [[Miguel Aguilar (Bolivian footballer)|Aguilar]] {{Goal|80}}
|stadium = [[Brígido Iriarte]], [[Caracas]]
|referee = Silvagno Cavanna ([[Federación de Fútbol de Chile|Chile]])
}}
----
{{Football box
|date = 13 March 1977
|team1 = {{Fb-rt|BOL}}
|score = 2 &ndash; 0
|team2 = {{Fb|VEN|1954}}
|goals1 = [[Porfirio Jiménez (Bolivian footballer)|Jiménez]] {{Goal|17}}<br /> [[Carlos Aragonés|Aragonés]] {{Goal|53}}
|stadium = [[Estadio Libertador Simón Bolívar]], [[La Paz]]
|referee = Pérez Nuñez ([[Federación Peruana de Fútbol|Peru]])
}}
----
{{Football box
|date = 17 March 1977
|team1 = {{Fb-rt|URU}}
|score = 2 &ndash; 0
|team2 = {{Fb|VEN|1954}}
|goals1 = [[Nitder Pizzani|Pizzani]] {{Goal|11||83}}
|stadium = [[Estadio Centenario|Centenario]], [[Montevideo]]
|referee = Marques ([[Brazilian Football Confederation|Brazil]])
}}
----
{{Football box
|date = 27 March 1977
|team1 = {{Fb-rt|URU}}
|score = 2 &ndash; 2
|team2 = {{Fb|BOL}}
|goals1 = [[Dario Pereyra|Pereyra]] {{Goal|23||49}}
|goals2 = [[Miguel Aguilar (Bolivian footballer)|Aguilar]] {{Goal|25||59}}
|stadium = [[Estadio Centenario|Centenario]], [[Montevideo]]
|referee = [[Arturo Ithurralde|Ithurralde]] ([[Asociación del Fútbol Argentino|Argentina]])
}}

'''Bolivia''' advanced to the Final Round.

===Group 3===
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align: center;"
|-
!width=30|Rank
!width=165 style="text-align:left;"|Team
!width=20|{{Tooltip|Pts|Points}}
!width=20|{{Tooltip|Pld|Matches played}}
!width=20|{{Tooltip|W|Matches won}}
!width=20|{{Tooltip|D|Matches drawn}}
!width=20|{{Tooltip|L|Matches lost}}
!width=20|{{Tooltip|GF|Goals for}}
!width=20|{{Tooltip|GA|Goals against}}
!width=20|{{Tooltip|GD|Goal difference}}
|- style="background:#ffebad;"
|'''1'''
|style="text-align:left;"|{{Fb|PER}}
|'''6'''||4||2||2||0||8||2||+6
|-
|'''2'''
|style="text-align:left;"|{{Fb|CHI}}
|'''5'''||4||2||1||1||5||3||+2
|-
|'''3'''
|style="text-align:left;"|{{Fb|ECU}}
|'''1'''||4||0||1||3||1||9||&minus;8
|}

{{Football box
|date = 20 February 1977
|team1 = {{Fb-rt|ECU}}
|score = 1 &ndash; 1
|team2 = {{Fb|PER}}
|goals1 = [[José Fabián Paz y Miño|Paz y Miño]] {{Goal|81}}
|goals2 = [[Juan Carlos Oblitas|Oblitas]] {{Goal|43}}
|stadium = [[Olímpico Atahualpa]], [[Quito]]
|referee = Rohrig ([[Brazilian Football Confederation|Brazil]])
}}
----
{{Football box
|date = 27 February 1977
|team1 = {{Fb-rt|ECU}}
|score = 0 &ndash; 1
|team2 = {{Fb|CHI}}
|goals2 = [[Miguel Ángel Gamboa|Gamboa]] {{Goal|33}}
|stadium = [[Estadio Modelo Alberto Spencer Herrera|Modelo]], [[Guayaquil]]
|referee = Romero ([[Asociación del Fútbol Argentino|Argentina]])
}}
----
{{Football box
|date = 6 March 1977
|team1 = {{Fb-rt|CHI}}
|score = 1 &ndash; 1
|team2 = {{Fb|PER}}
|goals1 = [[Sergio Ahumada|Ahumada]] {{Goal|42}}
|goals2 = [[Juan José Muñante|Muñante]] {{Goal|70}}
|stadium = [[Estadio Nacional Julio Martínez Prádanos|Nacional]], [[Santiago]]
|referee = Faville Neto ([[Brazilian Football Confederation|Brazil]])
}}
----
{{Football box
|date = 12 March 1977
|team1 = {{Fb-rt|PER}}
|score = 4 &ndash; 0
|team2 = {{Fb|ECU}}
|goals1 = [[José Velásquez (footballer, born 1952)|José Velásquez]] {{Goal|19}}<br /> [[Juan Carlos Oblitas|Oblitas]] {{Goal|48||50}}<br /> [[Alejandro Luces|Luces]] {{Goal|63}}
|stadium = [[National Stadium of Peru|Nacional]], [[Lima]]
|referee = [[Luis Barrancos|Barrancos Alvarez]] ([[Federación Boliviana de Fútbol|Bolivia]])
}}
----
{{Football box
|date = 20 March 1977
|team1 = {{Fb-rt|CHI}}
|score = 3 &ndash; 0
|team2 = {{Fb|ECU}}
|goals1 = [[Elías Figueroa|Figueroa]] {{Goal|29||55}}<br /> [[Osvaldo Castro|Castro]] {{Goal|40}}
|stadium = [[Estadio Nacional Julio Martínez Prádanos|Nacional]], [[Santiago]]
|referee = Llobregat Vicedo ([[Federación Venezolana de Fútbol|Venezuela]])
<!-- OFC -->
}}
----
{{Football box
|date = 26 March 1977
|team1 = {{Fb-rt|PER}}
|score= 2 &ndash; 0
|team2 = {{Fb|CHI}}
|goals1 = [[Hugo Sotil|Sotil]] {{Goal|49}}<br /> [[Juan Carlos Oblitas|Oblitas]] {{Goal|54}}
|stadium = [[National Stadium of Peru|Nacional]], [[Lima]]
|referee = [[Arnaldo Cézar Coelho|Coelho]] ([[Brazilian Football Confederation|Brazil]])
}}

'''Peru''' advanced to the Final Round.

==Final round==
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align: center;"
|-
!width=30|Rank
!width=165 style="text-align:left;"|Team
!width=20|{{Tooltip|Pts|Points}}
!width=20|{{Tooltip|Pld|Matches played}}
!width=20|{{Tooltip|W|Matches won}}
!width=20|{{Tooltip|D|Matches drawn}}
!width=20|{{Tooltip|L|Matches lost}}
!width=20|{{Tooltip|GF|Goals for}}
!width=20|{{Tooltip|GA|Goals against}}
!width=20|{{Tooltip|GD|Goal difference}}
|- style="background:#ccffcc;"
|'''1'''
|style="text-align:left;"|{{Fb|BRA|1968}}
|'''4'''||2||2||0||0||9||0||+9
|- style="background:#ccffcc;"
|'''2'''
|style="text-align:left;"|{{Fb|PER}}
|'''2'''||2||1||0||1||5||1||+4
|- style="background:#ffebad;"
|'''3'''
|style="text-align:left;"|{{Fb|BOL}}
|'''0'''||2||0||0||2||0||13||&minus;13
|}

{{Football box
|date = 10 July 1977
|team1 = {{Fb-rt|BRA|1968}}
|score = 1 &ndash; 0
|report = [https://www.futeboldaselecaobrasileira.com.br/1977/07/brasil-1-x-0-peru.html Relatorio]
|team2 = {{Fb|PER}}
|goals1 = [[Gilberto Alves|Gil]] {{Goal|53}}
|stadium = [[Pascual Guerrero]], [[Cali]], [[Colombia]]
|referee = Comesana ([[Asociación del Fútbol Argentino|Argentina]])
}}
----
{{Football box
|date = 14 July 1977
|team1 = {{Fb-rt|BRA|1968}}
|score = 8 &ndash; 0
|report = [https://www.futeboldaselecaobrasileira.com.br/1977/07/brasil-8-x-0-bolivia.html Relatorio]
|team2 = {{Fb|BOL}}
|goals1 = [[Zico (footballer)|Zico]] {{Goal|5||10||27|pen.|60}}<br /> [[Roberto Dinamite|Roberto]] {{Goal|22}}<br /> [[Gilberto Alves|Gil]] {{Goal|54}}<br />[[Toninho Cerezo|Cerezo]] {{Goal|70}}<br /> [[Marcelo Oliveira|Marcelo]] {{Goal|89}}
|stadium = [[Pascual Guerrero]], [[Cali]], [[Colombia]]
|referee = Cavanna ([[Federación de Fútbol de Chile|Chile]])
}}
----
{{Football box
|date = 17 July 1977
|team1 = {{Fb-rt|PER}}
|score = 5 &ndash; 0
|report = [http://www.allworldcup.narod.ru/1978/PROTOCOL/QUALIF/CONMEBOL/GF/PERVSBOL.HTM Relatorio]
|team2 = {{Fb|BOL}}
|goals1 = [[Teófilo Cubillas|Cubillas]] {{Goal|31||44}}<br /> [[José Velásquez (footballer, born 1952)|José Velásquez]] {{Goal|65||89}}<br /> [[Percy Rojas|Rojas]] {{Goal|74}}
|stadium = [[Pascual Guerrero]], [[Cali]], [[Colombia]]
|referee = [[Ramón Barreto|Barreto Ruiz]] ([[Asociación Uruguaya de Fútbol|Uruguay]])
}}

'''Brazil''' and '''Peru''' qualified.
'''Bolivia''' advanced to the [[1978 FIFA World Cup qualification#UEFA .2F CONMEBOL Intercontinental Play-off|UEFA / CONMEBOL Intercontinental Play-off]].

==Inter-confederation play-offs==
{{main|1978 FIFA World Cup qualification (UEFA–CONMEBOL play-off)}}
{{:1978 FIFA World Cup qualification}}

==Qualified teams==
The following three teams from CONMEBOL qualified for the final tournament.

{| class="wikitable sortable"
|-
! Team
! Qualified as
! Qualified on
! data-sort-type="number"|Previous [[National team appearances in the FIFA World Cup|appearances]] in [[FIFA World Cup]]<sup>'''[[#1|1]]'''</sup>
|-
| {{fb|ARG}} || {{sort|2|Hosts}} || {{dts|6 July 1966}} || 6 ([[1930 FIFA World Cup|1930]], [[1934 FIFA World Cup|1934]], [[1958 FIFA World Cup|1958]], [[1962 FIFA World Cup|1962]], [[1966 FIFA World Cup|1966]], [[1974 FIFA World Cup|1974]])
|-
| {{fb|BRA}} || {{sort|2|[[#Final round|Final Round]] winners}} || {{dts|14 July 1977}} || 10 ([[1930 FIFA World Cup|1930]], [[1934 FIFA World Cup|1934]], [[1938 FIFA World Cup|1938]], ''[[1950 FIFA World Cup|1950]]'', [[1954 FIFA World Cup|1954]], '''[[1958 FIFA World Cup|1958]]''', '''[[1962 FIFA World Cup|1962]]''', [[1966 FIFA World Cup|1966]], '''[[1970 FIFA World Cup|1970]]''', [[1974 FIFA World Cup|1974]])
|-
| {{fb|PER}} || {{sort|1|[[#Final round|Final Round]] winners}} || {{dts|17 July 1977}} || 2 ([[1930 FIFA World Cup|1930]], [[1970 FIFA World Cup|1970]])
|-
|}
:<div id="1"><sup>1</sup> '''Bold''' indicates champions for that year. ''Italic'' indicates hosts for that year.</div>

==Goalscorers==

;5 goals
{{div col|colwidth=20em|small=yes}}
*{{flagicon|BRA|1968}} [[Zico (footballer)|Zico]]
{{div col end}}

;4 goals
{{div col|colwidth=20em|small=yes}}
*{{flagicon|BRA|1968}} [[Roberto Dinamite]]
*{{flagicon|PER}} [[Juan Carlos Oblitas]]
{{div col end}}

;3 goals
{{div col|colwidth=20em|small=yes}}
*{{flagicon|BOL}} [[Miguel Aguilar (Bolivian footballer)|Miguel Aguilar]]
*{{flagicon|BOL}} [[Carlos Aragonés]]
*{{flagicon|BOL}} [[Porfirio Jiménez (Bolivian footballer)|Porfirio Jiménez]]
*{{flagicon|PER}} [[José Velásquez (footballer, born 1952)|José Velásquez]]
{{div col end}}

;2 goals
{{div col|colwidth=20em|small=yes}}
*{{flagicon|BRA|1968}} [[Gilberto Alves]]
*{{flagicon|BRA|1968}} [[Marinho Chagas]]
*{{flagicon|CHI}} [[Elías Figueroa]]
*{{flagicon|PAR}} [[Carlos Jara Saguier]]
*{{flagicon|PER}} [[Teófilo Cubillas]]
*{{flagicon|URU}} [[Dario Pereyra]]
*{{flagicon|URU}} [[Nitder Pizzani]]
{{div col end}}

;1 goal
{{div col|colwidth=20em|small=yes}}
*{{flagicon|BOL}} [[Oviedo Mezza]]
*{{flagicon|BRA|1968}} [[Toninho Cerezo]]
*{{flagicon|BRA|1968}} [[Marcelo Oliveira]]
*{{flagicon|BRA|1968}} [[Rivellino]]
*{{flagicon|CHI}} [[Sergio Ahumada]]
*{{flagicon|CHI}} [[Osvaldo Castro]]
*{{flagicon|CHI}} [[Miguel Ángel Gamboa]]
*{{flagicon|COL}} [[Eduardo Vilarete]]
*{{flagicon|ECU}} [[José Fabián Paz y Miño]]
*{{flagicon|PAR}} [[Carlos José Báez]]
*{{flagicon|PER}} [[Alejandro Luces]]
*{{flagicon|PER}} [[Juan José Muñante]]
*{{flagicon|PER}} [[Percy Rojas]]
*{{flagicon|PER}} [[Hugo Sotil]]
*{{flagicon|URU}} [[Washington Oliveira]]
*{{flagicon|VEN|1954}} [[Vicente Flores (footballer)|Vicente Flores]]
*{{flagicon|VEN|1954}} [[Rafael Iriarte]]
{{div col end}}

;1 own goal
{{div col|colwidth=20em|small=yes}}
*{{flagicon|BOL}} [[Windsor del Llano]] (playing against [[Hungary national football team|Hungary]])
*{{flagicon|PAR}} [[José Domingo Insfrán]] (playing against [[Brazil national football team|Brazil]])
{{div col end}}

==See also==
*[[1978 FIFA World Cup qualification]]
*[[1978 FIFA World Cup qualification (UEFA)]]
*[[1978 FIFA World Cup qualification (CONCACAF)]]
*[[1978 FIFA World Cup qualification (CAF)]]
*[[1978 FIFA World Cup qualification (AFC and OFC)]]

==External links==
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20071210063720/http://www.fifa.com/worldcup/archive/edition=50/preliminaries/preliminary=41/index.html 1978 FIFA World Cup qualification (CONMEBOL)] at [[FIFA.com]]

{{1978 FIFA World Cup qualification}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:1978 Fifa World Cup Qualification (Conmebol)}}
[[Category:1978 FIFA World Cup qualification|CONMEBOL]]
[[Category:FIFA World Cup qualification (CONMEBOL)]]
[[Category:1977 in South American football|World]]