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Peru put two past Australia but both are eliminated

Peru 2 – Australia 0

by Stephen McKimmy

Peru’s quality shined through Tuesday with a 2-0 victory over Australia, in Sochi. Australia’s slim hopes of advancing are dashed by the result, as Peru leapfrogs them into third place in Group C and both sides make an early exit from the 2018 World Cup.

The odds of Australia moving on to the knockout rounds were long and contingent on a strong performance, as well as a little help from France. However, La Blaunquirroja ensured none of that mattered, delivering a complete performance and securing a result which had eluded them all tournament.

Needing a win, Australia entered the match with confidence, taking the game to Peru for the first few minutes of the match. Peru would settle in quickly, however, tipping the balance with an early goal. A searching ball forward was played to forward Paolo Guerrero, in the 18^th minute. The Peru Captain held the ball up in the wide area of the box, before crossing it to winger Andre Carrillo, who sent his volleyed effort past the keeper into the bottom of the net.

Following the goal, Peru would dominate the match, playing the free-flowing, attacking soccer which earned them admirers earlier in the tournament. Australia, by contrast, looked languid and unimaginative in their spells of possession, struggling to breakdown Peru’s defense.

Things would get worse for Australia, conceding another goal just five minutes into the second half. Guerrero, not content merely with an assist, buried a deflected pass from midfielder Christian Cueva into the back of the net to double Peru’s lead.

In desperate need of goals, Australia would make a pair of attacking substitutions, bringing on 19-year-old winger Daniel Arzani and 38-year-old forward Tim Cahill. The appearance could be last for Cahill, Australia’s all-time leading goal scorer.

Australia nearly halved Peru’s lead immediately after the substitutions. In the 59^th minute, defender Aziz Behich found himself on the end of a corner, narrowly missing the goal with a left footed effort. The Socceroos would continue to create chances, though no goals would come from them. Australia had 14 shots with only two on target.

As Australia’s hopes diminished and they sought a goal with greater abandon, Peru once again found time and opportunity on the ball. Winger Edison Flores nearly extended the lead to three, in the 80^th minute, when his shot from just inside the 18-yard-box caromed off the far post.

The match finished 2-0 and Peru won their first World Cup match since 1978. Peru and Australia have both been eliminated from the tournament.

Australia-Mathew Ryan, Mark Milligan, Mathew Leckie, Tomi Juric (Tim Cahill 53’), Robbie Kruse (Daniel Arzani 58’), Aaron Mooy, Mile Jedinak, Aziz Behich, Joshua Risdon, Trent Sainsbury, Tom Rogic (Jackson Irvine 72’)

Yellow Cards-Jedinak (10’), Arzani (60’), Rogic (66’), Milligan (88’)

Peru-Pedro Gallese, Anderson Santamaria, Miguel Trauco, Christian Cueva, Paolo Guerrero, Renato Tapia (Paolo Hurtado 63’), Christian Ramos, Luis Advincula, Andre Carrillo (Wilder Cartagena 79’), Yoshimar Yotun (Pedro Aquino 46’), Edison Flores

Goals-Carrillo (18’), Guerrero (50’)

Yellow Cards-Yotun (45’), Hurtado (79’)