Adobe Flash Player Required.
Download the latest version here.

Falcao double sinks Paraguay

13 October 2012-PA Sport

falcao colombia

Daily double ... Colombia striker Falcao celebrates one of his two goals (Getty)

A brace by Atletico Madrid striker Radamel Falcao led Colombia to a 2-0 home victory over Paraguay as it kept up its pursuit of Argentina at the top of the South American 2014 FIFA World Cup qualifying table.

After a goalless first half, Falcao scored in the 52nd and 88th minutes to seal its third consecutive qualifying win.

"Paraguay were a very tough obstacle to break down," Falcao said. "We had to really fight hard to get the job done.

"Our main target is the World Cup. We are on the right path but we have a lot of work to do."

Jose Nestor Pekerman's team has 16 points, one less than Argentina, which beat Uruguay 3-0 with a brace from Lionel Messi and a goal from Sergio Aguero.

For rock-bottom Paraguay, it was its sixth defeat in eight games.

"Colombia were fair winners," said Paraguay coach Gerardo Pelusso.

"We mustn't continue thinking about the defeat. If we want to have any chance of qualifying we must react immediately."

Alongside Colombia on 16 points is Ecuador, which came from behind to beat Chile 3-1 at home.

The star of the game was Lokomotiv Moscow's Felipe Caicedo, who scored in the 32nd and 55th minutes, while Segundo Castillo completed the scoring for the host in the injury time.

It had not looked so easy in Quito when Juan Paredes Reascos sent the ball into his own goal in the 24th minute, but Chile could not maintain its rhythm and had Pablo Contreras and Juventus' Arturo Vidal sent off.

"We have a crucial chat with the players at half-time, when we were losing. They corrected all the mistakes they made," Ecuador's coach Reinaldo Rueda said.

"This group of players are very focused on reaching the World Cup, they want to make history in Ecuadorian football."

With this defeat Chile is level with Uruguay in the fifth position, both with 12 points.

Finally, in La Paz, Bolivia and Peru drew 1-1, Juan Carlos Marino putting the visitor ahead in the first half and Alejandro Chumacero levelling shortly after the break.

FIFA World Cup

Man dribbling football to Brazil killed

A US man trying to dribble a football 16,000 kilometres to Brazil in time for the 2014 FIFA World Cup has died after being hit by a pickup truck on the Oregon Coast.

0 Comments

ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
The Da Vinci Cup (DVD)

The Da Vinci Cup (DVD)

Join Pauly Falzoni of Fat Pizza fame as he takes us behind the secret conspiracy of the world’s biggest sport.

The Fabric of the Cosmos (DVD)

The Fabric of the Cosmos (DVD)

A mind-blowing new exploration of space, time, and the very nature of reality.

  • '09 #1 Sports Soccer Website, Hitwise
  • '09 #1 Television Program, Hitwise
  • '08 #1 Sports Soccer Website, Hitwise