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Kaka, who scored twice in last month's 5-0 thrashing of Ecuador, was on target in the 40th minute to give Brazil the lead in the South American group match.

Underdogs Peru hit back in the 71st minute when Juan Vargas scored with a deflected shot from outside the area, the first his team have scored in the group and the first conceded by Brazil.

Brazil almost snatched a winner when Juan headed against the crossbar from a free kick in the last move of the game.

Brazil have five points from three games, four points behind leaders Argentina, and Peru two after three games of the marathon, two-year qualifying campaign.

"Our performances was very good in the first half but we dropped off in the second, when we lost a lot of balls in the midfield and they were able to hit us on the break," said Brazil coach Dunga.

"Football depends on goals. There's no point in creating chances if you don't put them away."

Peru, who last qualified for the World Cup in 1982, subjected Brazil to some intense early pressure when Vargas went close with a low left-foot shot from outside the area while Jefferson Farfan fired over on the edge of the penalty area.

Brazil weathered the storm and had a series of chances. Maicon headed wide from a free kick before Robinho had his shot charged down by Diego Penny. Vagner Love, who had won possession on the edge of the penalty area, then shot just wide of the post.

Kaka, however, broke the deadlock in the 40th minute when he was found by Miniero and the AC Milan player's dipping 30-metre shot swerved away from Penny's reach.

Kaka nearly added another two minutes later with a chip which Penny turned over.

The second half got off to a slow start as Brazil tried to slow the game down and frustrate the hosts.

Brazil were close to a second when Penny turned Ronaldinho's free kick around the post and saved another in a scramble following the resulting corner.

Peru equalised in the 71st minute when Juan Vargas met a half clearance with a low left-foot shot from 25 metres which took a deflection off Lucio on its way into the goal.

Farfan set up a clear chance for a Peru winner when he found Claudio Pizarro free on the edge of the area but the Chelsea striker's first touch let him down and he lost the ball.

Brazil finished on the attack and Juan, who had a superb game in defence, was foiled by the crossbar deep into injury time.

Earlier, Chile striker Marcelo Salas, recalled to the team in August after a two-year absence, scored twice to help his side draw 2-2 away to Uruguay.

Luis Suarez gave Uruguay a half-time lead before Salas, who stopped playing altogther for six months earlier this year, scored twice in 11 minutes, the second from a penalty, to put Chile in front.

Sebastian Abreu salvaged a late equaliser for Uruguay and the draw left both teams with four points from three games.

Uruguay had the better of the first half and Suarez had already had one shot blocked by Claudio Bravo before he latched onto Vicente Sanchez's pass to score in the 41st minute.

Chile stunned the Centenario crowd in the 59th minute when Carlos Villanueva sent over inswinging cross from the left and Salas, 32, flung himself at the ball to score with a diving header.

It was his first goal for Chile since he scored against Bolivia in June 2005.

The drama continued in the 70th minute when Uruguay captain Diego Lugano bundled over Matias Fernandez and Salas, Chile's alltime leading scorer, converted the penalty for his 37th international goal.

The hosts appeared shell-shocked but conjured an equaliser out of the blue when Jorge Fucile burst down the left and pulled the ball back for Abreu to fire an equaliser into the roof of the net from six yards.

Reuters