Injury-time own goal seals top spot for Chile
Reuters - Wednesday 13 July 2011, 02:25
MENDOZA - An own goal in
injury-time gave Chile a dramatic 1-0 victory over Peru on
Tuesday to leave them top of their group ahead of the Copa
America quarter-finals.
Chile centre-back Waldo Ponce was initially credited
following a goal-mouth scramble in the 92nd minute, but the
official Copa America website later marked the
score as an own goal by Peru's Andre Carrillo.
The result left Chile with an unassailable seven points at
the top of Group C. They will play Group B's second-place
getters in the quarter-finals - either Brazil, Paraguay or
Venezuela - in San Juan.
Having booked their places in the quarter-finals before
kick-off, neither Chile nor Peru looked particularly interested
in winning their clash in Mendoza.
Peru coach Sergio Markarian rested nine players from their
previous match while Claudio Borghi made six changes to the
Chile's starting line-up.
Roared on by around 30,000 fans in the Malvinas Argentinas
stadium, Chile created the first real chance of the match in the
14th minute when Jean Beausejour fired in a low cross from the
left which Esteban Paredes just failed to reach.
Peru almost scored from a similar move in the 38th minute.
Right-back Giancarlo Carmona provided the cross and Josepmir
Ballon, stealing in at the back post, stretched out a leg but
failed to direct the ball goal-wards.
Tempers frayed in the second half and both sides ended the
match with 10 men after Beausejour and Carmona were sent off
after an hour for their part in a melee that drew in all 22
players.
The match appeared to be heading for a goalless and
increasingly tetchy stalemate until the scrappy late strike
sealed the win for Chile.