Peru win in final game to end Australia's World Cup hopes

26/06/2018

Australia's slim hopes of advancing from Group C were extinguished on Tuesday with a 2-0 defeat to Peru, who exited the World Cup on a high note in Sochi.

A stunning Andre Carrillo volley gave Peru their first World Cup goal in 36 years before captain Paolo Guerrero grabbed a second early in the second half.

The already-eliminated Peruvians, who could have felt hard done by following 1-0 defeats to France and Denmark, grabbed their first World Cup win since their 4-1 defeat of Iran at the 1978 finals in Argentina.

Denied a place at the global showpiece for 36 years, the result left Peru third in Group C with three points, while the Socceroos head home with just one, but more than a few regrets.

The Socceroos needed a win to have a chance to advance, but as it turned out, even victory would not have been enough for Australia as France and Denmark played out a goalless draw in the other group game to ensure they both advanced.

Bert van Marwijk's side would have felt it was deja vu, as Australia surged forward in numbers but lacked the polish to conjure a score, captain Mile Jedinak blazing over the bar in the fifth minute.

It was a defensive error that allowed Guerrero to swoop and set up Carrillo's opener. Full-back Josh Risdon failed to deal with a long ball, allowing Guerrero possession at the left of the area, and the captain wheeled a cross into the path of winger Carrillo, who hammered the ball into the left corner of the net.

It was Peru's first World Cup goal since Guillermo La Rosa scored in a 5-1 defeat by Poland at the 1982 finals in Spain.

Australia tried to rally through midfielder Tom Rogic, who barged through a nest of defenders into the box in the 27th minute only to have his shot blocked.

Winger Mathew Leckie was then denied in the goalmouth by a scrambling defence in the 36th minute.

Guerrero, whose tournament was in doubt due to a doping suspension, doubled the score in the 50th minute, a deflection off Jedinak dropping the ball in his path obligingly before his shot rebounded off Mark Milligan into the net.

Not even an early second-half injection of talisman Tim Cahill could spark the Socceroos, their 38-year-old striker denied a goal in his World Cup swansong when he fired a volley straight into a Peru defender.

From there, Peru rode their luck to the finish as Australia peppered the goal in desperation to no avail.