Copa America: Uruguay Defeats Peru, Advances to Finals

Peru's Paolo Guerrero reacts at the end of a Copa America semifinal soccer match against Uruguay in La Plata, Argentina, Tuesday, July 19, 2011. Uruguay won the match 2-0 and advanced to the final.(AP Photo/Ricardo Mazalan) (AP2011)

Uruguay has just one win to go.

Uruguay strolled past Perú in the Copa América quarterfinals on Tuesday. Luis Suárez scored in the 53rd and 58th minutes in the 2-0 win.

Uruguay, which reached the semifinals of last year's World Cup, will be looking for a record 15th Copa América title in Sunday's final against either Paraguay or Venezuela, which meet in the other semifinal Wednesday in Mendoza. The final will be Sunday in Buenos Aires.

Perú, which was the worst team in South American World Cup qualifying just a year ago, has been one of the surprises of the South American championship and has played without its top two forwards, Jefferson Farfán and Claudio Pizarro.

Suárez added some spark after a disappointing first half of few chances and little sustained possession.

Diego Forlán set up the first goal in the 53rd, taking a long, low shot that Perú keeper Raúl Fernández dived to his left to save. But Suárez swarmed on the rebound and sent the ball into the open net from a sharp angle with Fernández sprawled on the ground.

Suárez struck again 5 minutes later when he took a pass near midfield that split two defenders, then broke for the goal. When Fernández came out to stop him, he stepped around to his right and rolled the ball into an open net.

Perú's Juan Vargas was shown a red card in the 69th minute.

Perú had its best scoring chance in the 84th when Uruguay keeper Fernando Muslera leaped high to stop Paolo Guerrero's long shot. The ball slipped from Muslera's hand, but he covered up quickly just inches from the goal line.

Uruguay, tied with Argentina with 14 Copa América titles, won its last Copa trophy in 1995. It was the runner-up in 1999, losing to Brazil, which had won four of the last five Copa América titles entering this tournament.

Uruguay is fielding nearly the same team it did a year ago, when it also went farther in the World Cup than South America's two giants.

Brazil and Argentina both lost on penalties in the Copa América quarterfinals. Brazil lost to Paraguay and Argentina went down against Uruguay.

Chile, which had been the best team in the group stage, was upset by Venezuela 2-1 in the quarterfinals.

Based on reporting by The Associated Press.