Argentina ended an embarrassing campaign by qualifying for the World Cup with a 1-0 win over Uruguay yesterday.

Argentina would have missed its first World Cup since 1970 if it had lost at packed Centenario Stadium.

But moments after Uruguay defender Martin Caceres was ejected for his second yellow card, substitute Mario Bolatti scored amid a goalmouth scramble in the 84th minute to send a relieved Argentina to the finals in South Africa next year.

Argentina claimed the fourth and final automatic berth in South America, while Uruguay finished fifth and earned another chance to qualify through the playoffs next month.

Uruguay will meet the No. 4 team from CONCACAF, either Costa Rica or Honduras.

In a match full of fouls called by referee Carlos Amarilla of Paraguay, Caceres' last turned out to be pivotal.

Caceres tripped up Juan Sebastian Veron during a clean break just outside the box, and before he even received the yellow and red cards, Caceres covered his head with his jersey in shame and frustration as he was sent off.

From the free kick, Lionel Messi and Veron smoothly set up Bolatti, just four minutes after he'd been sent in by coach Diego Maradona, to shoot low past Uruguay goalkeeper Fernando Muslera.

Brazil, Chile and Paraguay had earlier clinched the first three automatic berths, leaving Maradona's much criticized team to venture to Montevideo, where Argentina had never won a qualifier in three previous attempts.

Argentina wound up fourth with 28 points, and Uruguay finished with 24, and Ecuador 23 after losing to Chile 1-0.