Kaka winner ends Brazilian drought
 |  Brazil players mob Kaka after his goal gave them a narrow win over Peru |
| |
GOIANIA, Brazil -- AC Milan midfielder Kaka hit a late goal to end Brazil's scoring drought in the World Cup qualifiers and give the world champions a 1-0 win over Peru.
Ronaldo, whose unhappy run of form continued when he missed an open goal in the first half, set up the goal with an astute pass in the 74th minute.
It was Brazil's first competitive goal in four and a half hours after they failed to score in their outings against Colombia and Ecuador.
Brazil remain second in the 10-nation South American World Cup qualifying group with 23 points from 12 games, two behind leaders Argentina, who won 2-1 in Bolivia on Saturday.
Peru, who played the last 15 minutes with 10 men after Juan Cominges was carried off injured with three substitutes already used, are ninth with 13.
Brazil coach Carlos Alberto Parreira was furious with his team's first half performance as they struggled to create chances against a well-organised defence. "The team was slow, we didn't have the appetite, we didn't play with happiness," he said.
Two of the few chances fell to Ronaldo, who squandered both, including an open goal in the 25th minute.
Cafu crossed from the right and Ronaldo, unmarked and needing only to tap the ball home, missed his kick with the goal at his mercy.
In the 32nd minute, Ronaldo was sent clear after Roberto Carlos slipped the ball through a gap in the Peruvian defence but shot weakly at Oscar Ibanez.
Peru occasionally looked dangerous on the break, Roberto Palacios wasting one counter-attack when he misplaced a pass with the Brazil defence outnumbered.
Ronaldo blamed the heat for Brazil's lackluster display. "It's difficult for those of us who play in Europe," he said.
Brazil livened up after the break as the sun went down and Parreira bowed to popular demand by replacing Juninho Pernambucano with flamboyant 21-year-old forward Robinho.
They had a penalty appeal turned down when Ronaldinho appeared to be tripped by Walter Vilchez, while Kaka had a close-range shot deflected into the arms of the grateful Ibanez.
At the other end, Claudio Pizarro nearly put Peru in front with a looping header.
The breakthrough finally came with 16 minutes left when Ronaldo slipped the ball through the Peru defence and Kaka, who was about to be replaced by Ricardo Oliveira, fired the ball between Ibanez and the near post.
