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.
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