PEDRO JUAN CABALLERO. Paraguay. July 6: A late goal from the world's costliest teenager Roque Santa Cruz saw hosts Paraguay beat Peru 1 -0 to top group A although Peru also make the Copa America quarter-finals following the earlier elimination of Japan and Bolivia. reports AFP.

PARAGUAY-PERU

Santa Cruz, who left Olimpia Asuncion for German champions Bayern Munich in May. rounded Peruvian keeper Oscar Ibanez in the 88th minute for a classy finish and his third goal of the tournament.

It was a result that Paraguay deserved after creating the better chances and dominating the second half.

However, Peru made the better start with playmaker Roberto Palacios at the hub of some impressive early moves.

He nearly scored himself and also set up a good chance for Claudio Pizarro.

Then Santa Cruz failed to control the ball when well placed in Paraguay's first-real

Peru continued to outpass Paraguay but the two best

chances of the first half both fell to the host nation.

First striker Miguel Angel Benitez shot over from close range after the Peru defence failed to pick him up at a freekick.

Next Hugo Ovelar, in acres of space, failed to take advantage after springing the offside trap.

Just one minute after the interval 17-year-old Santa Cruz came the closest yet when he hurled himself at a cross and saw his header come back off the angle of post and crossbar.

Then on the hour Benitez produced the miss of the night -possibly the miss of the tournament - after he fired over from point blank range after Ibanez failed to hold a shot.

As Paraguay turned up the heat defender Delio Toledo brought the save of the night from Ibanez.

Benitez was finally withdrawn but Santa Cruz again tested Ibanez with the Peruvian again proving equal to the challenge.

‘ Paraguay were dominating second half play after the break but then Peru’s Andres Mendoza missed a glorious opportunity, sidefooting over from 10 yards.

Then as the ball richoteted around the Peruvian penalty box the ball again hit the woodwork with a defender appearing to get the final touch.

Tempers frayed as Paraguay continued to push and at one point a brawl nearly ensued.

Then Santa Cruz sprung the offside trap to produce the only

goal.

BOLIVIA-JAPAN

Earlier a 1-1 draw ensured Copa America1 guests Japan finished bottom of group A and also consigned Bolivia to an early exit as their points haul of two will leave them as the worst of the three third-placed teams.

The draw gave Japan their first point of the tournament but their overall poor performance will turn up the heat on their under-pressure French coach Philippe Troussier, charged with turning them into a competitive team by the time they co-host the 2002 World Cup with Korea.

Within a minute Bolivia had forced a freekick and Erwin Sanchez's shot was well held by Japanese goalkeeper Seigo Narazaki.

Japan looked at their most dangerous from setpieces and their Brazilian-born star Wagner Lopes just failed to get on the end of a freekick when he was well placed to score.

Narazaki again came to the rescue for Japan when he did well to parry a long distance shot from Bolivian striker Victor Antelo.

After 27 minutes Sanchez -dubbed Platini for his freekick Erowess - curled another dead all just over the bar.

Then Jaime Moreno produced -a brilliant run to the byline only to misplace his cross with two Bolivian colleagues well positioned.

Lopes again showed his aerial strength forcing a good save from goalkeeper Jose Carlos Fernandez.

Then, with the interval looming, Bolivia were reduced to 10 men when Oscar Sanchez was dismissed for a scything tackle on Toshiya Fujita.

Sanchez was reluctant to leave the field departing the field some two minutes later.

Seven minutes after the interval Erwin Sanchez again had the chance to demonstrate his freekick prowess and this time he did not disappoint.

As the Japanese wall disintegrated Sanchez, who plays for Portuguese side Boavista, whipped in a low curling shot that Narazaki got a hand to but could not prevent from giving Bolivia a 1-0 lead.

Despite their numerical superiority Japan lacked penetration and were reduced to speculative long range shooting.

But then a rash challenge after 72 minutes by Luis Hector Cristaldo on Daisuke Oku gave Lopes the chance to level the scores from the spot.

Lopes made no mistake, sending Fernandez the wrong way.

As the stadium filled up with Paraguay fans for the match with Peru that would follow this fixture Japan seemed to take heart from the partisan backing of the home fans.

Bolivia introduced maverick playmaker Marco Etcheverry but Sanchez, still looked the most likely scorer, testing Narazaki with two more freekicks.

With a draw leaving both teams facing certain elimination - the two third placed teams in both other groups will have at least three points compared to Bolivia's two - the South Americans tried everything with striker Limberg Gutierrez booked for a blatant dive in the penalty area.

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