Colombia beat Peru 2-0 in Miami friendly

Colombia beat Peru 2-0 on Tuesday in a friendly at Nu Stadium in Miami. Samuel Velásquez opened the scoring before Daniel Arcila added the second goal. Colombia put in a stronger performance than in its previous matches, while Peru finished the FIFA window with more questions to answer.

The opening goal came in the 57th minute. After Gómez’s cross was parried by Pedro Gallese and then Jesús Pretell, Samuel Vélasquez struck a powerful left-footed shot from the rebound. In the second half, Juan Manuel Rengifo made his debut in a Colombia shirt. His introduction came as the team maintained its control and began to attack with greater purpose.

Peru were reduced to ten men in the 65th minute. Miguel Araújo, who had come on two minutes earlier, lost the ball in his own half to Camilo Durán and brought him down before he entered the penalty area. Referee Rubiel Vásquez sent him off. La Bicolor had been sitting back and looking to threaten on the counterattack. Even with the numerical disadvantage, Gallese stopped further efforts from Kevin Viveros and Durán, while Richard Ríos also had an opportunity.

Daniel Arcila sealed the result in the 90th minute plus two, firing from the edge of the area beyond Gallese. Colombia secured a 2-0 win after looking better than in its two previous matches: a draw with Mexico and a defeat to Paraguay.

For Peru, the loss added to a difficult run during the FIFA window: a 2-0 defeat to Colombia, another 2-0 loss to Canada, a 4-1 defeat to the United States and a 1-1 draw with Mexico.