A counterattack unleashed by Italo-Peruvian Gianluca Lapadula and a surgical pass to Christian Cueva to push the ball into the back of the net paved Peru’s way to a 1-2 victory over Ecuador at 2,850 meters above sea level in Quito.
Lapadula, of Peruvian mother and Italian father, sealed his outstanding day in the 87th minute with another ball filtered for Luis Advíncula to put the punch, with a subtle touch that passed between the legs of Alexander Dominguez.
Lapadula’s plays in Peru vs Ecuador.
Video via Twitter: @luchvr_g
Ecuador still had time to close the gap with a goal from Gonzalo Plata in the 911th minute.
It was the first victory of Ricardo Gareca’s pupils in six matches played for the South American qualifiers of the 2022 World Cup, a breath of air for a team threatened by the crisis because after falling thrashed in Lima by Colombia last Thursday, it had been left as a finalist with only one point.
The loss at the Rodrigo Paz Delgado stadium put a heavy slab on Ecuador, which on Friday saw a three-match loss interrupted by a 2-0 loss to Brazil in Porto Alegre.
Without adding in two outings, the Tri was provisionally frozen in third place with 9 points and the Blanquirroja went to the penultimate place, with 4.
The Lapadula-Cueva formula turned out to be the card that changed the course for Peru.
Lapadula had a chance to score in the first half but misjudged in a head-to-head. And Cueva was from the extremes a factor of constant anxiety for his custodians and relief for his companions.
In the 53rd minute, Uruguayan referee Esteban Ostojich annulled after var consulted his decision to award a penalty to Ecuador for an alleged intentional hand of centre-back Luis Abram.
Ostojich took about 5 minutes to reconsider his first evaluation when the match featured an Ecuadorian team focused on attack and a Peruvian entrenched around Pedro Gallese’s goal.
With that constant, the pupils of Gustavo Alfaro left cracks in defense and those of Gareca took advantage of the counter.
