Peru set up a final clash with hosts Brazil after defeating double defending champions Chile 3-0 in the Copa America semifinal on Wednesday.
Edison Flores, Yoshimar Yotun and Paolo Guerrero scored for Peru, outclassing the defending champions in every way. Peru, who have scored just three goals in the last four games and lost 5-0 to Brazil earlier in the tournament, turned things around as they powered the team through to the final.
Flores scored in the 21st minute after volleying the ball into an unguarded net, giving Peru the lead. Yoshimar Yotun, too, found the net in the 38th minute, after Andre Carillo crossed to the midfielder when Chile goalkeeper Gabriel Arias ran out of his area to stop a long pass.
Chile missed out on opportunities to score in the second half when they put up a better show but Peruvian goalkeeper Pedro Gallese denied them the chances to score. Peru's last goal came during stoppage time as Paolo Guerrero found the net to seal a comfortable win for his side.
“I think we all played well, we all made sacrifices,” Guerrero said after the match. “We were very intense and we deserve to be in the final.”
“Peru played well, they deserve to be in the final,” said Chilean midfielder Gary Medel. “That hurts as we wanted to win another title. We had chances in the second half but we couldn't convert them.”
Peru will play Brazil in the final at Rio de Janeiros Maracana stadium on Sunday. Brazil were through to the final after defeating arch-rivals Argentina in the last four stage on Tuesday. If Peru overcomes the Brazilian challenge in the clash, this would be their first Copa America since 1975.
Guerrero said that after putting their 5-0 rout against Brazil in the early stage of the tournament, they are ready to take on the Brazilians in the final.