Uruguay failed to break down Venezuela in a 0-0 draw on Thursday and were left waiting to confirm what looks a certain place at the 2018 World Cup finals.
The Uruguayans, second in the South American group behind already-qualified Brazil are on 28 points and will hope to secure their berth at the Russia finals when they host Bolivia on Tuesday.
The top four qualify automatically and the fifth-placed team go into a play-off with New Zealand.
Edinson Cavani rues a missed Uruguay chance during their frustrating 0-0 draw in Venezuela
The Paris Saint-Germain striker is left floored following a foul by Venezuela’s Victor Garcia
Uruguay haven’t quite secured their place at next summer’s World Cup finals in Russia
Uruguay have a goal difference of +10 as opposed to +1 for both Peru and Argentina, who have 25 points after a 0-0 draw in Buenos Aires and could potentially join them locked on 28 points after next week’s matches.
Colombia and Chile, both with 26 points, hold the other two automatic qualifying berths with Peru in the fifth-place playoff spot having scored more goals than Argentina, who are now sixth.
In the unlikely event Uruguay were to lose heavily to Bolivia and Argentina, who travel to Ecuador, and Peru, at home to Colombia, rack up big wins, they could find themselves once again in a play-off.
Uruguay have secured the playoff berth in the previous four qualifying campaigns. They won three, and even went on to the semi-finals in South Africa in 2010, but missed out on Germany 2006 after losing to Australia over two legs.
Luis Suarez is fouled by Venezuela’s Mikel Villanueva during the draw in San Cristobal
Suarez and Jose Maria Gimenez throw themselves at the ball in an effort to score the winner
Cavani rues another missed opportunity on a frustrating night for Uruguay
They may yet rue failing to break down a stubborn Venezuela side at the Estadio Polideportivo de Pueblo Nuevo in San Cristobal.
Uruguay looked most dangerous from set-pieces and Wuilker Farinez made a diving save to deny Jose Gimenez’s header in just the third minute.
Although Uruguay’s forwards Luis Suarez and Edinson Cavani looked lively, they were snuffed out by the Venezuelan defence for large spells.
Suarez reaches for the ball in an effort to get the better of Venezuela’s Victor Garcia
Cavani looks for options as he is confronted with Venezuela’s Rubert Quijada
And the visitors might even have snatched a goal early in the second-half when Tomas Rincon forced a save from Fernando Muslera.
Cavani almost broke the deadlock at the other end, but a deflection took the PSG striker’s shot away from the target.
He fired wide of the mark late on and Suarez had a 70th-minute penalty shout waved away as Uruguay failed to take all three points.