Colombia Edges Bolivia to Reach Quarterfinals
Defending champion Colombia defeated Bolivia, 1-0, on Friday on a late goal by reserve forward Edixon Perea at Lima, Peru, to become the first team to reach the Copa America quarterfinals.
Perea scored on a looping header in the 89th minute of a mostly dull Group A game. The ball sneaked over the outstretched arm of goalkeeper Leonardo Fernandez.
Later, host Peru beat Venezuela, 3-1, to move into second place in the group behind Colombia.
Colombia showed little of the attacking flair it displayed in its opening 1-0 win over Venezuela.
Bolivia, which tied Peru in its opener, also played cautiously, and scoring opportunities were scarce as the teams settled into a match fought predominantly in the midfield.
In Peru’s match, Nolberto Solano scored a goal and set up another for the home team against short-handed Venezuela.
Solano connected in the 62nd minute and used a free kick 10 minutes later to find Santiago Acasiete, who scored on a header.
The Venezuelans were reduced to 10 men in the 66th when Miguel Mea was red-carded for a rough tackle on Roberto Palacios.
MLS All-Stars
Galaxy players Carlos Ruiz, Andreas Herzog and Chris Albright were named to the Western Conference starting lineup for the Major League Soccer All-Star game on July 31 in Washington.
Five players from the San Jose Earthquakes made the West roster, including midfielder Landon Donovan, who was chosen as a starter, and defender Jeff Agoos, who is the only player to be selected to all nine games.
Five Chicago Fire players were named to the East roster, led by midfielder DaMarcus Beasley.
Eddie Gaven, a 17-year-old midfielder for the MetroStars, became the youngest All-Star ever, and teammate Eddie Pope earned his eighth straight spot.
Quick Passes
Middlesbrough of the English Premier League signed Chelsea striker Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink to a two-year deal. The 32-year-old Dutch international will team up with Mark Viduka, who completed his $8.32-million move from Leeds on Thursday.... The French Football Federation will announce its new coach on Monday with Jean Tigana, 49, a winner of the 1984 European title, and Laurent Blanc, 38, who notched 97 caps with France, as the top candidates.... Takayuki Suzuki and Atsushi Yanagisawa scored second-half goals to lead Japan to a 3-1 win over Slovakia in the exhibition Kirin Cup at Hiroshima, Japan.
