Goals from Andre Carrillo and Paolo Guerrero handed Peru a 2-0 victory over Paraguay on Friday night and ensure they finished in third place for the second consecutive Copa America.
Midfielder Carrillo broke the deadlock three minutes after half-time when he fired low into the Paraguayan net after Guerrero had nodded down a Christian Cueva corner.
And forward Guerrero made sure in the final minute when he converted a cross from Joel Sanchez to register his fourth goal of the tournament.
Paolo Guerrero (left) celebrates with Andre Carrillo as Peru beat Paraguay 2-0 to claim third place
The Peru players celebrates with their medals after claiming third place for the second consecutive Copa
Peru, who were also third at the 2011 Copa America, ran out comfortable winners against Paraguay
Andre Carrillo (second left) opened the scoring for Peru three minutes after half-time in Concepcion
Peru’s Christian Cueva leads his team-mates in saluting the travelling supporters at the end
At the last Copa America in 2011, Peru claimed third spot with a 4-1 win over Venezuela, a match in which Guerrero scored a hat-trick.
The result means Peru emulate previous third-place finishes in 1927, 1935, 1949, 1955 and 1983, and ensures that Ricardo Gareca’s team carry momentum into the World Cup qualifiers.
The first-half in Concepcion followed the pattern of so many third-placed play-offs in being dull and lifeless, with chances practically non-existent.
Paolo Guerrero slips the ball between the legs of Paraguay goalkeeper Justo Villar for the second goal
Guerrero celebrates after scoring his fourth goal of the tournament in the closing stages of the play-off
It was enough to earn Guerrero, Peru’s second highest all-time scorer, the man of the match accolade
Peru striker Jose Yordy Reyna weaves his way past the Paraguay defender Paulo Cesar da Silva
Luis Advincula of Peru attempts to cross the ball under pressure from Paraguay’s Victor Caceres
Yoshimar Yotun of Peru leaps and wins the ball ahead of Paraguay’s Miguel Angel Samudio
But things picked up shortly after the break, leading to Peru taking the lead when Carrillo gathered a loose ball from a corner and fired a low, right-foot shot into the bottom corner.
And Guerrero, who was the top scorer in the 2011 edition of the tournament, furthered his chances of another Golden Boot, when he swept Sanchez’s cross through the legs of goalkeeper Justo Villar late on.
The Peruvian has four goals for the competition, level with Chile’s Eduardo Vargas, who will line up in Saturday night’s final with Argentina.
The strike was also of personal significance for the Flamengo player, who is now just one goal behind Teofilo Cubillas on his country’s all-time goalscoring list with 25.
Paraguay’s Nestor Ortigoza is challenged by Peru’s Yoshimar Yotun (left) and Jose Reyna
Peru striker Guerrero tries to beat Paraguay defender Paulo da Silva to the ball in an aerial challenge
A pitch invader hugs Paraguay player Lucas Barrios at the end of the third place play-off
Another pitch invader is tackled by a security guard at the end of the contest in Concepcion
The security guard attempted to wrestle the pitch invader’s flag away from him