Argentina drop two more qualifying points without Messi in draw with Peru

Record ID: 83057

  • Title: Argentina drop two more qualifying points without Messi in draw with Peru
  • Date: 7th October 2016
  • Summary: LIMA, PERU (OCTOBER 6, 2016) (REUTERS) EXTERIOR OF NATIONAL STADIUM ARGENTINA COACH, EDGARDO BAUZA, ENTERING FOR NEWS CONFERENCE (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) ARGENTINA COACH, EDGARDO BAUZA, SAYING: "Throughout the match, Peru tried to put on pressure and that complicated things. We could handle it at some points. In the second half it cost us a little more, but in some moments we could handle it. As for Cueva and Guerrero, they both had good games, each in his position. Guerrero is a player of great concern, we must pay close attention and Cueva - his work is always neat. I know him very well with a lot of technique and luckily we pressure fast and it didn't hurt us a lot." BAUZA LEAVING VARIOUS OF PERU COACH, RICARDO GARECA, ENTERING NEWS CONFERENCE (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) PERU COACH, RICARDO GARECA, SAYING: "We were looking to win - Argentina also. Generally, it was an exciting match to be with a team like Argentina, to be down in the score twice and tie is very tough and difficult but to tie at this level - with the potential of Argentina, but well, Peru has it too." GENERAL VIEW OF NEWS CONFERENCE (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) PERU COACH, RICARDO GARECA, SAYING: "We will have to see which players are in the best condition to play in the match with Chile. It is highly anticipated to tell you that or how we will approach the game, but considering that we have the option - keep in mind that we always have to think about winning. Chile is a team that right now has an adverse outcome, but you always have to be careful. It is one of the best teams so surely to have a match like this means that it will be very intensely played." GARECA LEAVING NEWS CONFERENCE
  • Embargoed: 22nd October 2016 15:13
  • Keywords: World Cup qualifier draw Lionel Messi Ramiro Funes Mori Edgardo Bauza Ricardo Gareca
  • Location: LIMA, PERU
  • City: LIMA, PERU
  • Country: Peru
  • Topics: Sport,World Cup
  • Reuters ID: LVA001530B327
  • Aspect Ratio: 16:9
  • Story Text: Argentina were held 2-2 by Peru in the 2018 World Cup qualifiers on Thursday (October 6), their second successive away draw without injured talisman Lionel Messi, which dropped them to fifth in the South American group.
    Defender Ramiro Funes Mori put Argentina ahead after 15 minutes but was responsible for Peru's late penalty equaliser that was converted by Christian Cueva.
    In between, Peru's veteran striker Paolo Guerrero equalised early in the second half and Gonzalo Higuain restored Argentina's lead in the 77th minute.
    "Throughout the match, Peru tried to put on pressure and that complicated things. We could handle it at some points. In the second half it cost us a little more, but in some moments we could handle it. As for Cueva and Guerrero, they both had good games, each in his position. Guerrero is a player of great concern, we must pay close attention and Cueva - his work is always neat. I know him very well with a lot of technique and luckily we pressure fast and it didn't hurt us a lot," said Argentina coach Edgardo Bauza.
    "We were looking to win - Argentina also. Generally, it was an exciting match to be with a team like Argentina, to be down in the score twice and tie is very tough and difficult but to tie at this level - with the potential of Argentina, but well, Peru has it too," said Peru coach Ricardo Gareca.
    After nine matches, the halfway point in the South American qualifiers, Uruguay top the table with 19 points followed by Brazil on 18 and Ecuador, Colombia and Argentina all on 16. Peru climbed one place to eighth with eight points.
    The top four go through to the 2018 finals in Russia while the team in fifth place, currently Argentina on goal difference, qualify for an intercontinental playoff against the Oceania winners for another berth.
    Peru almost scored early in an entertaining, even match at the Estadio Nacional when defender Renato Tapia sent a glancing header from a corner just wide in the ninth minute.
    At the other end, Pedro Gallese made a diving save from Sergio Aguero's 10th-minute free kick in front of the posts.
    Five minutes later Argentina were ahead when Peru failed to clear a corner and Funes Mori steered a shot into the bottom corner.
    Sergio Romero blocked a stinging shot from Guerrero as Peru built quick counter-attacks and Cueva was close with a free kick.
    Peru carved out a chance for Edison Flores five minutes into the second half but the forward was slow to take a shot and was blocked.
    Eight minutes later, though, the home side were on level terms when Guerrero reached a cross from the left, fended off Funes Mori and shot past Romero.
    With 13 minutes to go, Higuian took a pass from Pablo Zabaleta on the right of the box and deftly chipped past Gallese for his 32nd Argentina goal.
    Funes Mori turned villain when he tripped Guerrero in the box and Cueva scored a deserved equaliser with the 84th-minute penalty.
    Bookings for Nicolas Otamendi, Zabaleta and Funes Mori mean they will be suspended when Argentina host Paraguay on Tuesday with coach Edgardo Bauza having to field an almost entirely different back four.
  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
  • Copyright Notice: (c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2016. Open For Restrictions - http://about.reuters.com/fulllegal.asp
  • Usage Terms/Restrictions: None
Register