Peru finally finds the net in a 2-0 win over Australia
Back at the World Cup for the first time since 1982, Peru isn’t leaving Russia empty handed.
The Peruvians failed to score a goal in their opening two matches, but the team finally gave its fans a reason to celebrate when it ended Australia’s hopes of advancing to the knockout round with a 2-0 victory on Tuesday.
The Australians had to beat Peru and hope Denmark lost to France in the other Group C match, but neither result occurred. France and Denmark drew 0-0 in Moscow.
Andre Carrillo’s 18thminute goal a half-volley from inside the area was Peru’s first in a World Cup since its last appearance 36 years ago. Peru hadn’t won a World Cup match since defeating Iran in 1978.
Peru captain Paolo Guerrero, who almost missed the tournament because of a doping suspension, scored the other goal in the 50th with a left-footed strike after getting to a loose ball inside the area.
Australia striker Tim Cahill, a 38-year-old veteran who entered the match in the 53rd minute, had a chance to become only the fifth player to score in four World Cups, but he had few chances.
CROATIA 2, ICELAND 1 >> Croatia ended Iceland’s chances at the World Cup and helped out Argentina at the same time. Ivan Perisic capitalized on a defensive error to score a 90th-minute winner for Croatia in a Group D contest.
Iceland could have finished second in the group with a win because Argentina beat Nigeria 2-1 at the same time. Instead, the Croats will face Denmark on Sunday and Argentina will take on France on Saturday.
Fielding a side filled with reserves after already being assured of a spot in the round of 16, Croatia started to take control of the match in the second half. Milan Badelj, moments after hitting
the bar, scored the opening goal in the 53rd minute. He sprinted into the area and sent a bouncing shot past goalkeeper Hannes Halldorsson.
Iceland equalized in the 76th when Gylfi Sigurdsson scored from the penalty spot after substitute Dejan Lovren handled the ball. DENMARK 0, FRANCE 0 >> A game no team needed to win became the game no fan would want to watch.
France and Denmark produced the World Cup’s first 0-0 draw at the 37th attempt amid boos and whistles from fans.
The slow-paced game was out of step with a vibrant tournament. But it advanced both teams to the round of 16 unbeaten. France will play Argentina, and Denmark faces Croatia.
It was the longest a World Cup had gone without a goalless draw since 1954, a tournament of 26 games which all delivered at least one goal.
ALBANIA PM OPENS ACCOUNT TO PAY FINES >> The prime minister of Albania opened a bank account on
Tuesday to allow his country’s people to offer their “symbolic contribution” to pay the fines levied against two Swiss soccer players of Albanian origin.
The account, named “Don’t Be Afraid of the Eagle,” was opened at Raiffeisen Bank by Prime Minister Edi Rama, who urged Albanians “to pay FIFA’s absurd fine on Granit Xhaka and Xherdan Shaqiri.”
Xhaka and Shaqiri made hand gestures that mimicked Albania’s national symbol, a two-headed eagle, after scoring goals during Switzerland’s win over Serbia at the World Cup. The players have ethnic Albanian heritage linked to Kosovo, a former Serbian province that declared independence in 2008. Serbia doesn’t recognize that independence.
FIFA fined the players 10,000 Swiss francs ($10,100) each for unsporting behavior. Soccer’s governing body had the power to impose two-match bans if Xhaka and Shaqiri’s actions were judged to have provoked the general public.