Peru
Manager: Ricardo GarecaParaguay
Manager: Ramón Angel Díaz
Los Incas struck twice after half-time to seal a third-place Copa America finish for the second consecutive edition of the tournament
Peru ended their 2015 Copa America campaign on a high, overcoming Paraguay 2-0 in the third-place match in Concepcion on Friday.
Andre Carrillo and Paolo Guerrero were the heroes for Peru, who also finished third four years ago, with their second-half goals proving the difference at Estadio Municipal Alcaldesa Ester Roa Rebolledo.
After their semi-final exit to hosts Chile and dour opening half, Carrillo volleyed beyond Justo Villar in the 48th minute.
And Guerrero netted late on as Peru claimed consecutive third-place finishes at the premier South American tournament.
There were changes to both teams, with Peru pair Christian Ramos and Yordy Reyna starting in place of Jefferson Farfan, who did not pass a late fitness test, and Carlos Zambrano (suspended) after the 2-1 defeat to Chile.
Paraguay counted the cost of their 6-1 drubbing at the hands of Argentina, with Derlis Gonzalez (thigh), Roque Santa Cruz (hamstring), Bruno Valdez (thigh), Nelson Valdez (thigh), Edgar Benitez, Richard Ortiz and Ivan Piris dropping out for Lucas Barrios, Raul Bobadilla, Oscar Romero, Osvaldo Martinez, Nestor Ortigoza, Miguel Samudio and Marcos Caceres.
Chances were at a premium in the first half, with both teams failing to create anything clear-cut during the opening 45 minutes.
Reyna and Romero were limited to long-range efforts for Peru and Paraguay respectively as the half ended all-square.
The match came to life in the 48th minute, when Carrillo volleyed past Paraguay goalkeeper Villar from outside the area.
A corner kick deflected up in the air and Carrillo got his outstretched boot to the ball, leaving Villar with no chance.
It was the Sporting Lisbon forward's first international goal since August 2012.
Peru had Carlos Ascues to thank after the hour-mark, with his last-ditch challenge enough to deny Edgar Benitez and Paraguay an equaliser.
Benitez was picked out by Romero at the back post with the goal at his mercy in the 66th minute, but Ascues was on hand to deny the Paraguay striker a clear goalscoring opportunity as the ball hit the bottom of the post and rolled away to safety.
Victory was sealed for Peru in the 89th minute as Guerrero side-footed through Villar's legs after a cross from Joel Sanchez.
Guerrero eyes history as Peru power past Paraguay for third place
Peru secured their second-straight third-place finish at the Copa America with a 2-0 victory over 2011 runners-up Paraguay on Friday.
The result marks Peru's best back-to-back tournament results since the 1979 and 1983 editions, and Ricardo Gareca's men will like to carry that momentum into the upcoming World Cup qualifiers.
The game started slow, and the first half went by without much incident, with both teams unwilling to push numbers forward in search of a goal.
The game picked up after the break, however.
In the 48th minute, Andre Carrillo collected a loose ball from a corner and, while falling down, fired a right-footed shot into the lower right corner of Paraguay keeper Justo Villar's net.
Paolo Guerrero, who is looking to become the first back-to-back Golden Boot winner at the Copa America since 1924, then capped the scoring in the 89th minute, punching in a sweeping Joel Sanchez cross between Villar's legs.
The goal was of increased personal significance as well, as it gave the Flamengo man sole possession of second on Peru's all-time goals list, just one behind the legendary Teofilo Cubillas who netted 26 for his career.
The former Bayern Munich forward finishes the tournament with four goals -- on par with Chile's Eduardo Vargas, who will take part in Saturday's final against Argentina.
Copa América - Peru claim Copa America third place with win over Paraguay
Copa America third place play-off match, Estadio Municipal De Concepcion - Peru 2 (Carrillo 47', Guerrero 89') Paraguay 0.
Peru matched their third place finish at the 2011 Copa America by beating Peru 2-0 in this year’s play-off match, capping what has been a very successful tournament for Ricardo Gareca’s side.
Both sides exceeded expectations at the Copa America in Chile this summer, with Paraguay coming into the tournament on the back of a World Cup qualifying campaign that saw them finish in bottom place.
But they have proved to be the competition’s surprise packages, with both Peru and Paraguay making their second successive Copa America semi-final. However, it was the former who imposed themselves on this contest.
Andre Carrillo gave his side the lead after 47 minutes, striking first-time with an unorthodox volley after Paraguay failed to clear a corner kick delivery to the back post. And Gareca’s side were rarely troubled, as Paolo Guerrero completed the scoring in stoppage time - finishing from Joel Sanchez’s cross to bring him level as the tournament’s joint-top goalscorer.
KEY EVENTS
27’ THAT WAS A HIT! There was certainly some power behind that effort! Romero out everything he had into that shot. He smashed it at goal from long-range, but Gallese makes the save.
28’ GOOD CHANCE FOR PERU! A corner kick flashes its way to the back post, where Lobaton was lurking behind Guerrero. But can't quite sort his feet out in time and he sticks it wide.
47’ GOAL! Peru 1 Paraguay 0: We have the breakthrough! A corner kick is only partially cleared by Paraguay, with Carrillo striking a first-time volley into the bottom corner from just inside the box.
67’ VERY CLOSE: How didn't that go in? Paraguay for the first time in the match have Peru stretched, with Romero putting a cross to the back post. Benitez looked set to stick in home, but he somehow couldn't connect.
81’ CLOSE AGAIN: How didn't that result in a second goal for Peru? First Reyna is played through, but checks back to Yotun - who scuffs his shot on goal. But Guerrero flicks it just over and on to the roof of the net.
89’ GOAL! Peru 2 Paraguay 0: And there's the goal to seal it. Guerrero finishes from Sanchez's right-sided cross, and that makes him the tournament's joint-top scorer.
TALKING POINT - Paolo Guerrero will go down as one of the stars of this Copa
The likes of Lionel Messi, Arturo Vidal and Jorge Valdivia are frontrunners for the Player of the Copa award, but Guerrero also deserves a mention for his performances over the past few weeks. The striker might finish the tournament as the joint-top goalscorer, with his hat-trick in the round of 16 win over Bolivia one of the highlights of the Copa.
MAN OF THE MATCH - Yordy Reyna
The midfielder, who plays for Leipzig in the German second tier, was the star of the show for Peru on a night when very few from either side showed their true potential. He was the one outlet Gareca’s side had on the attack, although Guerrero certainly didn’t play badly. It was just that Reyna outshone him.
PLAYER RATINGS
Peru - Gallese 6, Advincula 6, Ramos 7, Ascues 7, Vargas 6, Lobaton 5, Ballon 5, Reyna 8, Cueva 7, Carrillo 7, Guerrero 7.
Paraguay - Villar 6, Caceres 6, da Silva , Aguilar 6, Samudio 7, Ortigoza 5, Caceres 6, Martinez 5 Romero 5, Bobadilla 5, Barrios 5. Subs - Ortiz 5, Aranda 6, Benitez 6.
Paolo Guerrero fires up Peru to Third Place in Copa America
Paolo Guerrero fires up Peru to Third Place in Copa America
Paolo Guerrero fired Peru to a third place play-off victory over Paraguay here Friday to stay in the hunt for Copa America tournament top-scorer honors.
The Flamengo striker, top-scorer at the 2011 Copa America, bagged his fourth goal of this year's tournament with a late strike as Peru completed a 2-0 victory.
The goal saw Guerrero join Chile's Eduardo Vargas as joint top-scorer.
The 31-year-old's 25th international goal has also edged him closer to overhauling Peru legend Teofilo Cubillas's national record of 26 goals.
Peru's other goal came from Andre Carrillo in the 48th minute.
A dangerous corner by Peru's highly rated midfielder Christian Cueva was headed into the path of Carrillo by Paraguay's Raul Bobadilla.
The 24-year-old met the clearance with a sweetly struck volley which flew into the bottom corner past the dive of Paraguay goalkeeper Justo Villar.
Paraguay, thrashed 6-1 by Argentina in the semi-finals, raised their game fleetingly and almost snatched an equalizer on 68 minutes only for striker Edgar Benitez to be denied by a superb block from Peru midfielder Carlos Ascues.
Peru's win saw them repeat their third place finish from the 2011 Copa America.
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