Stock market got you down? Be thankful you're not a Brazilian soccer fan. Then you'd really be pulling your hair out.

Most South American fans would be thrilled if their team was in second place heading into the midway point of qualifying for the 2010 World Cup. But not Brazilians. They have loftier goals, and who can blame them? When your team owns five World Cup titles and boasts the likes of Pélé and Ronaldo, second place behind Paraguay just isn't good enough.

And a 0-0 tie with last-place Bolivia last month was considered a national tragedy, enough to send Brazilian fans into panic mode. They booed coach Dunga off the field, calling him ''donkey,''' ''stupid'' and worse.

The coach will try to turn things around Sunday on the road against Venezuela and Wednesday at home against Colombia.

Brazil normally would be heavily favored to beat Venezuela, but its 17-match winning streak against the weaker rival was snapped in June when the Venezuelans earned a shocking 2-0 victory in a friendly in Boston.

Since that game, Brazil has won only one of its four matches -- 3-0 over Chile -- and has been held scoreless in the other three. Brazilian players are well aware their national pride is at stake, and they are taking nothing for granted.

''A lot of people don't treat Venezuela with respect because they don't have much tradition, but we know that nowadays Brazil can lose to any side,'' Robinho told reporters. ``We have to work with humility and respect. Each game is a different story; this match is a new chapter, and Brazil will be prepared.''

Maicon, another Brazilian player, admitted the team was shattered by the loss to Venezuela but expects a different outcome this time.

''It was a game in which nothing went right for us, and it damaged morale because we had never lost to Venezuela,'' Maicon said. ``But that was a friendly, and this is a World Cup qualifier. They will attack us because they are confident and have the backing of the crowd, but we hope to play a good game.''

Brazil should be boosted by the return of star Kaka, who has battled a string of injuries and hasn't appeared in a national team jersey in nearly a year. Ronaldinho, who was deemed out of shape, was left off the roster for the next two matches. Adriano and Robinho are expected to pair up on the attack.

Heading into this weekend, Paraguay led South American qualifying with 17 points. Brazil, Argentina and Chile were tied at second with 13 points, and Uruguay had 12. The top four teams advance to the World Cup, and the fifth-place team enters a playoff against the fourth-place team from CONCACAF for another spot.

In the other match Sunday, Chile has a tough test at Ecuador. The Ecuadorians, going for a third consecutive World Cup berth, lost their first three qualifiers but haven't lost since.

Another round of games will be played Tuesday and Wednesday. Tuesday's lineup includes Bolivia vs. Uruguay, Paraguay vs. Peru, Chile vs. Argentina, and Venezuela vs. Ecuador. Brazil hosts Colombia on Wednesday.

PUERTO RICO ROLLING

It's only fitting that the Puerto Rico Islanders, who finished the season with the best record in United Soccer Leagues, would wind up in Sunday's championship game against the Vancouver Whitecaps.

Puerto Rico entered the playoffs on a 17-match unbeaten streak and knocked off Rochester in the semifinals. Vancouver beat Canadian rival Montreal in the other semifinal.

But Islanders coach Colin Clarke was none too pleased when the league awarded the final game to Vancouver, even though Puerto Rico was the higher seed and has raised eyebrows in the CONCACAF Champions league tournament. Clarke complained that the decision was ''all about money,'' which in part is true. The league chose the site that offered better attendance and an easier TV broadcasting situation.

The host Whitecaps are led by midfielder Martin Nash, brother of NBA All-Star Steve Nash, and 35-year-old forward Eduardo Sebrengo, who has helped four teams reach the USL final. He won rings with Rochester in 2000, Montreal in 2004 and Vancouver in 2006. He has scored 89 goals over 204 matches and is known for his post-goal celebrations.

Vancouver, with the help of Steve Nash, is lobbying to join MLS in 2011. By then the Whitecaps expect to be playing in 59,000-seat BC Place Stadium, which will get a retractable roof after the 2010 Winter Olympics.

PRESSURE ON SALT LAKE

The crowd was great. The atmosphere was even better. But Real Salt Lake didn't get the victory it was hoping for from its debut game at $110 million Rio Tinto Stadium. Instead, Salt Lake settled for a 1-1 tie against the New York/New Jersey MetroStars and is now in a precarious position heading into the final two games of the season. Real Salt Lake must beat Dallas at home and Colorado on the road to secure the final MLS playoff spot. Neither will be easy.

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