Gianluca Lapadula and Andre Carillo score within five minutes of each other in the second half as Peru battle back from two goals down to draw with Ecuador to leave both sides’ hopes of progressing in the Copa America alive
- Peru fought back to earn draw with Ecuador in a four-goal thriller
- Both sides stand a chance of qualifying from Copa America Group B
- Ecuador remain winless after throwing away a two-goal advantage
- Gianluca Lapadula and Andre Carillo scored early after the break to get a draw
Peruvian-Italian striker Gianluca Lapadula inspired Peru to a second half revival as they fought back from a two-goal half time deficit to emerge with a 2-2 draw against Ecuador in the Copa America on Wednesday.
The result means both teams can still progress into the last eight of the 10-team South American tournament. With one game left for each, Ecuador have two points from three games and Peru have four.
Four of the top five teams in each group qualify for the quarter-finals.
Peru fought back to earn a draw with Ecuador in their Copa America Group B clash
Ayrton Preciado had given Ecuador a two-goal advantage just before the half-time break
Ecuador is one of only two teams never to have won the Copa America and although they started the match in the Brazilian city of Goiania without their suspended striker Enner Valencia they took the game to Peru and were 2-0 up at half time.
Renato Tapia turned Pervis Estupinanâs cross into his own net midway through the first half and then Ayrton Preciado grabbed a second on the stroke of half time when he got on the end of a Damian Diaz free kick from the right and stabbed the ball past a helpless Pedro Gallese.
Peru were also missing a talismanic striker but Lapadula, the Italian-Peruvian who appeared for Italy before choosing the country of his motherâs birth, stepped up to help them forget the absence of Paolo Guerrero.
The result leaves both sides still within a chance of qualifying for the knockout rounds
Renato Tapia (second right) scored an own goal to open the scoring for Ecuador
Lapadula turned in a fine second half performance and opened his international account four minutes after the break when he took a perfectly weighted pass from Christian Cueva and fired home.
Five minutes later Lapadula turned creator. He ran on to a superb pass from Sergio Pena and fed Andre Carrillo for the equaliser.
Both sides had chances to grab a winner but it was not to be and so Group B will go down to the wire in Sundayâs final round of matches.
Peru play Venezuela and Ecuador face group leaders and host nation Brazil, who play Colombia later on Wednesday.