Diego Forlan scored a hat-trick to help Uruguay rout a shambolic Peru 6-0 in their World Cup qualifier on Tuesday.
Forlan’s striking partner Carlos Bueno scored two goals and substitute Sebastian Abreu added another in the final minute.
Peru striker Paolo Guerrero was sent off after 39 minutes for furiously protesting the penalty which led to the second goal.
PHOTO: AP
Uruguay, who had drawn their last two home games in the South American group, moved on to eight points from six games while Peru, beaten 5-1 in Ecuador in November, remained on three after another heavy defeat.
Peru also lost 4-0 to Mexico in a friendly 10 days ago and the latest setback is widely expected to cost coach Jose del Solar his job.
Virtually out of contention for a World Cup place, they face the prospect of another 12 games in the group including visits to Brazil and Argentina.
The loss left Peru winless with three points from six matches, ahead of only Bolivia, which has one point.
Del Solar would not be drawn on his future afterwards.
“My job is open and I have understood that the directors will make an evaluation after this game. Now I will sit down and talk to them,” he told Peruvian media.
“I’m the main one responsible for this ... It seems that we took the game as finished with more than 70 minutes to play. Situations like that cannot happen,” he said.
The hosts went ahead when Ignacio Gonzalez found Forlan with a raking diagonal pass and the Atletico Madrid striker lobbed the ball over Leao Butron in the eighth minute.
Uruguay goalkeeper Juan Castillo made his only save of the game shortly afterwards when he blocked a Nolberto Solano shot after which it became a no-contest.
Forlan converted a penalty in the 38th minute after Guerrero was controversially judged to have pushed Diego Godin, sparking furious protests from the Peruvian players.
Despite being held back by his team mates, Guerrero continued to remonstrate afterwards and was shown his second yellow card.
Forlan completed his hat-trick in the 57th minute, heading home unchallenged, and Bueno, also unmarked, headed his first from a corner four minutes later.
Bueno was on target in the 69th minute after a one-two with Gonzalez by which time Uruguay coach Oscar Tabarez appeared too embarrassed to celebrate the goals.
Uruguay continued to pour forward, squandering a succession of chances before Abreu fired the sixth in the last minute.
■CUBA WIN IN ANTIGUA
AP, ST. JOHN’S, Antigua
Second-half substitute Leonel Pla scored a late goal to give Cuba a 4-3 victory over Antigua and Barbuda in the first leg of their World Cup qualifier on Tuesday.
His 85th minute left roughly 7,000 fans at Sir Vivian Richards Stadium. disappointed ahead of the second leg in Cuba on Sunday.
Antigua opened the scoring in the ninth minute when Teran Williams found the net, but Jaime Valencia quickly responded for Cuba with his first of two goals a minute later.
Kerry Skepple put Antigua back in the lead in the 13 minute before Joel Valencia drew Cuba level again in the 22nd.
Valencia scored his second goal in the 74th minute, but Antiguan Tyio Simon answered for the home side seven minutes later.
Taiwan’s Chou Tien-chen yesterday exited at the BWF World Tour Finals in China, losing in the semi-finals to China’s world No. 1 Shi Yuqi. Shi, who was named the BWF Men’s Singles Player of the Year, had a 9-4 record against Chou going into the match. He extended that record to 9-5 with a 21-14, 21-18 victory. Chou advanced to the men’s singles semi-finals on Friday by upsetting top-seeded Anders Antonsen of Denmark in a must-win match at the Hangzhou Olympic Sports Center Gymnasium. The 16-21, 21-18, 21-15 victory saw Chou secure his second semi-finals appearance at the tournament, despite his relatively older
‘REMARKABLE’: Gaelic football is a traditional Irish sport that blends the skills of soccer and rugby, and hurling is an ancient sport played with a wooden stick and ‘sliotar’ The Taiwan Celts Gaelic Football Club marked a milestone achievement at the Asian Gaelic Games in Bangkok on Nov. 23 and 24, with two sides advancing to the knockout stages and competing at hurling for the first time. The event brought together 68 teams from 16 clubs across Asia, with more than 800 players in men’s and women’s tournaments. Gaelic football is a traditional Irish team sport that blends the skills of soccer, rugby union and basketball. Hurling is an ancient Irish sport played with a wooden stick, called a hurley, and a small ball, or sliotar. The Taiwan Celts’ women’s team reached
India’s chess star Gukesh Dommaraju returned to a hero’s welcome in his home city yesterday after becoming the youngest world champion aged only 18. Hundreds of fans crowded the arrivals area of Chennai International Airport, cheering alongside banks of television cameras as Gukesh made his way out of the airport after victory in taking the World Chess Championship title. “It means a lot to bring back the trophy to India,” Gukesh told reporters, with garlands of flowers draped around his neck, brandishing the glittering trophy in his hand. “I can see the support and what it means to India, I
LIVERPOOL WIN: The 50th Champions League goal by Mohamed Salah helped the leaders of the Premier League to keep their perfect record intact Real Madrid’s big stars on Tuesday turned on the style to revive the Spanish giant’s faltering UEFA Champions League title defense. Galacticos Kylian Mbappe, Vinicius Junior and Jude Bellingham all scored in a thrilling 3-2 win against Serie A leaders Atalanta BC. However, Madrid still had to ride their luck as Mateo Retegui fired over from in front of goal in stoppage-time when handed a golden chance to level the game. It was only Madrid’s third win in the competition’s revamped league phase and leaves the 15-time champions in the unseeded playoff positions in 18th place. “It’s a very important win. Not everyone wins
RSS