Peru vs. Paraguay: Score and Twitter Reaction from 2015 Copa America

Friday's consolation game of the 2015 Copa America saw Peru defeat Paraguay 2-0. Their match sets up the competition's final on Saturday when hosts Chile take on Argentina.

The Copa America's third-place game pitted two of the lower seeds, and therefore, the more surprising sides in the tournament. Peru were ranked 61st, while Paraguay sat at 85th, according to the FIFA world rankings. 

Peru were able to start quicker, using high pressure to frustrate Paraguay striker Lucas Barrios in order to bully possession in the match's first 20 minutes. 

While they held much of possession in that span, they did not do much to challenge Justo Villar's goal as they were lacking that final ball. 

Carlos Lobaton had Peru's best chance of the half, finding his way on the end of a deflected cross, but he sent his shot off-target in the 27th minute, as beIN Sports had a look at his skewed effort: 

But chances were sparse as an uneventful first 45 minutes did not provide much in terms of entertainment, as beIN Sports wondered where a winner would come from: 

ESPN FC's Sam Kelly found the blank half well-played, despite his views on the concept of a third-place game:

Three minutes into the second half, Peru provided the breakthrough. A failed headed clearance from Paraguay fell to Andre Carrillo, who hit his shot while falling into the bottom corner of the goal. Fox Sports' Andre Marin had the replay:

Paraguay responded well and were denied in the 67th minute when a chance that rolled off the post was cleared off the line by Peru's Carlos Ascues. To Kelly, that should have been Paraguay's equalizer:

Paraguay could only probe, unable to find a way to seriously challenge Pedro Gallese's goal. 

Peru put the game away in the 89th minute through Paolo Guerrero. The game's first goalscorer, Carrillo, sent Joel Sanchez down the right side. Sanchez's cross picked out Guerrero perfectly, who finished his chance through Villar's legs, as beIN Sports USA showed: 

Guerrero's goal puts him in a tie with Chile's Eduardo Vargas as the Copa America's leading scorer with four tallies.

According to ESPN Stats & Info, Peru's big win was also historic in breaking a drought against Paraguay in the Copa America:

The victory ensures that Peru are third-place finishers for the second consecutive Copa America. They were losing semifinalists in two consecutive Copa America's once before, in 1979 and 1983, but those tournaments did not have a third-place game.

The Peruvian victory is just an appetizer for the upcoming soccer weekend. Argentina and Chile play for the title on Saturday, July 4 at 4 p.m. EDT before the Women's World Cup reaches its conclusion on Sunday, July 5, when the United States takes on Japan.

Stats courtesy of ca2015.com