MONTEVIDEO — Peru booked a
World Cup
play-off spot against either Australia or the UAE with a 2–0 victory over
Paraguay on Tuesday, thus dashing the hopes of Colombia and Chile to reach the
Qatar extravaganza.
اضافة اعلان
With Brazil, Argentina, Ecuador, and Uruguay already
qualified, all there was to play for in the final round of South American
qualifying was fifth place and an intercontinental play-off.
Both Colombia, who won 1–0 away to Venezuela, and
Chile, beaten 2–0 at home by Uruguay, could have qualified with victory had
Peru slipped up.
But for the second World Cup qualification campaign
in a row, Peru head into a play-off.
Last time they beat New Zealand 2–0 over two legs
but their task will be harder this time with a one-off clash against either the
Socceroos or UAE in Qatar in June.
Italy-born Gianluca Lapadula opened the scoring on
five minutes in Lima and although debutant Sebastian Ferreira hit the bar soon
after for Paraguay, Peru were largely in control.
Yoshimar Yotun doubled the advantage at 42 minutes,
acrobatically converting a cross from Edison Flores.
It could have been more comfortable for Peru but
Lapadula was twice denied by the woodwork.
Colombia missed out on the play-off by a single
point.
Halfway through the qualification campaign they had
been in a strong position to qualify but a run of seven straight games without
a goal before winning their final two matches crushed their hopes.
James Rodriguez scored Colombia's only goal deep into first-half
stoppage time from the penalty spot after Ronald Hernandez was penalized for a
foul on Rafael Borre.
Chile struggled throughout the campaign and missed
out on the World Cup for the second tournament in a row.
They needed both Peru and Colombia to lose while winning themselves to progress.
But spectacular goals from Luis Suarez and
Federico Valverde left them heart-broken and lifted Uruguay into third in the group.
Brazil set a new points record for a South American
World Cup qualification campaign with a 4–0 win away to Bolivia.
The Selecao’s record of 14 wins and three draws —
with a rearranged fixture at home to Argentina still to play — leaves them with
45 points, two more than Marcelo Bielsa’s Argentina managed ahead of the 2002
tournament.
In a match between the best attack and worst defense
in the competition, Brazil’s comfortable victory even without the suspended
Neymar was no surprise.
Luca Paqueta opened the scoring on 24 minutes while
a double from Richarlison and another from Bruno Guimaraes sealed the drubbing.
Argentina stretched their unbeaten run to 31 matches
with a 1–1 draw away to Ecuador.
Julian Alvarez opened the scoring for Argentina at
the second attempt against the run of play on 24 minutes but Enner Valencia
scored in stoppage time, slamming home the rebound after his penalty was saved
by goalkeeper Geronimo Rulli.
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