Uruguay 3-0 Paraguay - Luis Suárez and Diego Forlán shoot Uruguay to record 15th Copa América

Posted Monday, July 25, 2011 by theguardian.com

Uruguay 3-0 Paraguay - Luis Suárez and Diego Forlán shoot Uruguay to record 15th Copa América
Uruguay's Luis Suárez scores the opening goal past Paraguay's Dario Veron, left, and Paulo Da Silva in the final of the Copa América.

Diego Forlán scored twice and Luis Suárez once as Uruguay beat Paraguay to be crowned South America champions for a record 15th time. Paraguay ran out of luck at the Copa América where they went five straight matches without a victory before reaching the final.

Suárez gave Uruguay the lead early in a match they dominated. Receiving a pass in the penalty area, the Liverpool forward scored with a deflected left-footed shot that went in off the far post behind the Paraguay goalkeeper Justo Villar.

Forlán, who was voted the best player at last year's World Cup, made it 2-0 by lashing home a left-footed shot from 12 yards. He was set up after team-mate Egidio Arévalo Rios had stolen the ball from a Paraguay player in midfield. The Atlético Madrid striker had not scored in his 12 previous matches for the national team.

Sebastián Eguren almost scored in the 74th minute but was foiled when Villar stuck out his left arm with the ball heading for the net.

Forlán notched the final goal in the last minute, taking a pass from Suárez and firing into the far corner. "We played as a group," said Suárez, who was named player of the tournament. "I think when groups are united like this, everyone together and going for the same thing, you can get things done.

"The important thing was getting started well," said the scorer of four goals in the tournament, one fewer than Peru's Paolo Guerrero. "With two goals in the first half, I think it was very difficult for them to come back."

Forlán, who won a record 82nd cap for Uruguay, equalled the national record of 31 goals held by Hector Scarone.

Paraguay, who seldom threatened, played without their injured forward Roque Santa Cruz and winger Aureliano Torres. The Paraguay coach Gerardo Martino and his assistant Jorge Pautasso were suspended from the match after being sent off for repeatedly arguing with the referee in last Wednesday's victory over Venezuela – Paraguay advanced from the quarter-finals and semi-finals on penalties.

The victory gave Uruguay their first Copa América title since 1995. The small country of 3.5 million also reached the World Cup semi-finals a year ago, surpassing the performance of Brazil and Argentina.

Uruguay's squad featured 20 of the 23 players they took to the World Cup. They showed teamwork and unselfish play despite possessing none of the star power of their bigger rivals.

The two continental giants were upset in the quarter-finals when Uruguay ousted Argentina on penalties and Paraguay eliminated Brazil, who had won four of the past five titles. Martino, an Argentinian, is regarded as a leading contender to take over the Argentina team.