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Tuesday, July 5, 2011

FRUSTRATION AS DRAWS CONTINUE IN COPA

URUGUAY...........1
Suarez 45

PERU...................1
Guerrero 23

Uruguay were guilty of missing a host of chances as they were held to a frustrating draw by Peru in tonight's Group C clash in San Juan.

Last years World Cup semi-finalists went into the game hoping to inject some much needed flair into an otherwise disappointing Copa America, and started the game as overwhelming favourites.

Coach Oscar Tabarez fielded a formidable attacking trident of Edison Cavani, Diego Forlan and Luis Suarez as the 14-time Copa winners looked for victory at the Estadio del Bicentario.

Despite dominating possession in the opening exchanges, Uruguay failed to create any real problems for their opponents and there were few signs of the attacking flair witnessed in South Africa 12 months ago.

Forlan tried his luck from 30 yards and Cavani almost broke free in the area, but there was little of note to test the Peruvian goalkeeper.

In the 23rd minute Uruguay were caught on the back foot when some slack defending allowed Guerrero to latch onto a looping through ball, round the keeper and stroke into an empty goal to give Peru a shock lead.

The goal sparked Uruguay into life and they mounted a late surge towards the end of the half.

Forlan and Suarez both forced the keeper in to saves as they searched for the equaliser, and the Liverpool hitman finally got the goal on the stroke of half time to send the sides into the break level.

The goal seemed to give Uruguay the momentum and they came out in the second half with a much more positive attitude which put their opponents immediately on the back foot.

Tabarez's men seemed to step up a gear in the search for the crucial second goal - playing some stylish football which overwhelmed the Peruvians at times.

Juan Vargas was thrown on with half an hour to go as Peru battled to stem the tide, but his introduction had little immediate effect as Uruguay continued to flood forward in search of the win.

In the 68th minute Forlan missed a glorious opportunity after he was played in by a neat ball from Suarez - the Atletico Madrid forward a frustrated figure as the ball went well wide.

Moments later Vargas almost punished the when he smashed the ball across the Uruguay goal only to see it fly just wide of the post.

Peru continued to prove a threat on the counter attack but it was Uruguay who looked more likely to score, and Forlan again went close with a free kick that glanced off the wall.

Despite their efforts, Uruguay lacked the end product as clever approach play was let down by a clumsy final touch time and again.

The sucker punch almost came with seconds remaining as Guerrero missed a guilt-edged opportunity to score after good work down the left by Vargas, but it was the Peruvians who were the happier of the two sides as the referee brought the game to an end with the score remaining level.










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