Concepción, July 4

Paolo Guerrero fired Peru to a third place play-off victory over Paraguay here on Friday to stay in the hunt for Copa America tournament top goal scorer honours.

The Flamengo striker, top-scorer at the 2011 Copa America, bagged his fourth goal of this year’s tournament with a late strike as Peru completed a 2-0 victory. The goal saw Guerrero join Chile’s Eduardo Vargas as joint top-scorer.

The 31-year-old’s 25th international goal has also edged him closer to overhauling Peru legend Teofilo Cubillas’s national record of 26 goals. Peru’s other goal came from Andre Carrillo in the 48th minute. A dangerous corner by Peru’s highly rated midfielder Christian Cueva was headed into the path of Carrillo by Paraguay’s Raul Bobadilla.

The 24-year-old met the clearance with a sweetly struck volley which flew into the bottom corner past the dive of Paraguay goalkeeper Justo Villar. Paraguay, thrashed 6-1 by Argentina in the semi-finals, raised their game fleetingly and almost snatched an equaliser on 68 minutes only for striker Edgar Benitez to be denied by a superb block from Peru midfielder Carlos Ascues. Peru’s win saw them their third place from the 2011 Copa America.