Peru Rallies for 2-2 Tie

Claudio Pizarro and Roberto Palacios each scored second-half goals Tuesday and Peru came back from two goals down to tie Bolivia, 2-2, in the Copa America tournament.

Pizarro scored on a penalty kick in the 67th minute, shooting to his right as Bolivia goalkeeper Leonardo Fernandez dived the other way. Palacios tied it in the 85th minute with a brilliant move near the top of the penalty area, followed by a left-footed drive into the top corner of the net.

That allowed the host nation to escape a potentially embarrassing loss.

Joaquin Botero and Lorgio Alvarez scored for Bolivia in the Group A match.

Earlier, Tressor Moreno scored on a penalty kick in the 22nd minute for defending champion Colombia in a 1-0 victory over Venezuela, in the opening game of the tournament that determines the South American champion.

Moreno converted after Venezuela goalkeeper Gilberto Angelucci was called for a foul for tripping Moreno on a breakaway. Angelucci dived to his right on the penalty kick just as Moreno shot in that direction, but the ball went under the goalkeeper.

Colombia’s somewhat surprising victory, after a discouraging World Cup qualifying campaign to date, was its seventh consecutive win in Copa America without conceding a goal.

Colombia won the tournament in 2001 as host.