Miami offered Colombia a needed lift on Tuesday, as Néstor Lorenzo’s side beat Peru 2-0 at the Nu Stadium and brought a difficult international window to a more encouraging close. Left-back Samuel Velásquez opened the scoring before midfielder Daniel Arcila sealed the result deep into stoppage time, while Peru left Florida with still more questions around a team unable to find direction.
For Colombia, the win represented a marked improvement after a draw with Mexico and a defeat to Paraguay in their previous outings. Peru, coached by Brazilian Mano Menezes, arrived determined to defend compactly and seek openings on the break, a plan that kept the match level through a guarded first half.
The Peruvians produced the first real scare in the 12th minute. Adrián Ugarriza, the Kiryat Shmona forward, advanced down the left and delivered for Piero Magallanes, whose effort skimmed narrowly past Kevin Mier’s right-hand post. Colombia controlled much of the ball but initially struggled to turn possession into clear chances.
Their first opening did not arrive until the 39th minute, when Carlos Andrés Gómez drove in from the left and found Yaser Asprilla inside the box, only for Peru to block the shot. Gómez, the Girona attacker, remained Colombia’s liveliest outlet and later threaded a pass through to Luis Suárez, who sent his one-on-one attempt wide of Pedro Gallese’s goal.
Colombia find greater depth after the interval
Juan Manuel Rengifo made his Colombia debut after the restart and helped alter the rhythm of the contest. Lorenzo’s team retained its authority but now carried more threat into the final third, finally breaking through in the 57th minute.
Gómez supplied the decisive spark again, sending a dangerous cross into the area. Gallese got to the ball first and Jesús Pretell then attempted to clear, but the loose ball fell to Velásquez. The full-back struck a fierce left-footed finish beyond the Peru goalkeeper to put Colombia ahead.
Peru’s task became substantially harder eight minutes later. Centre-back Miguel Araújo had been on the pitch for only two minutes when he lost possession in his own half to Camilo Durán and brought down the Colombian forward before he could reach the penalty area. American referee Rubiel Vásquez showed a red card.
Reduced to ten players, Peru dropped even deeper, leaving Gianluca Lapadula and André Carrillo increasingly detached from the game and required to contribute defensively. Colombia pressed their numerical advantage, with Kevin Viveros, Durán and Richard Ríos all going close, either denied by Gallese or missing the target.
Arcila eventually gave the scoreline its second goal in the 92nd minute. Receiving the ball at the edge of the area, he drove a powerful shot past Gallese to underline Colombia’s superiority and complete a more convincing evening for Lorenzo’s squad.
Peru’s window ends in far bleaker fashion. The defeat to Colombia followed 2-0 losses to Canada and a 4-1 reverse against the United States, while their only positive result was a 1-1 draw with Mexico. The performance in Miami offered defensive resistance for long spells, but little evidence of a side close to solving its wider problems.
