LIMA (AP) — Argentina, con un gol de Gonzalo Higuaín, se llevó el martes un empate de visita 1-1 con Perú para permanecer como líder de las eliminatorias sudamericanas al Mundial de 2014.

Higuaín anotó a los 37 minutos para nivelar el marcador, luego que Carlos Zambrano adelantó a Perú a los 21.

Perú desperdició un penal recién a los tres minutos de juego, cuando el portero argentino Sergio Romero le atajó el remate a Claudio Pizarro.

Jefferson Farfán cumplió un papel central en Perú, que fue más ambicioso

El empate dejó a Argentina con 14 puntos en siete partidos, seguido por Ecuador y Colombia con 13; Uruguay y Chile con 12; y Venezuela con 11. Perú asoma a renglón seguido con siete, por encima de los colistas Bolivia y Paraguay, ambos con cuatro.

"(Siento) tristeza, creo que se peleó hasta el final", dijo Pizarro.

Los peruanos sorprendieron a Argentina con un juego inteligente y una marca sólida que neutralizó a Lionel Messi, el faro del equipo Albiceleste.

Perú presionó a Argentina, con Farfán imparable por la derecha, lo que complicaba a los argentinos obligándolos a pararlo con juego brusco. Una falta a Farfán generó un penal a favor de Perú, que sin embargo, falló Pizarro.

Una jugada originada en un tiro libre de Carlos Lobatón permitió al defensor Zambrano abrir la cuenta.

El técnico de la selección argentina, Alejandro Sabella, reconoció que Perú fue superior y acaparó la posesión del balón.

"Sobretodo con la técnica de los jugadores peruanos puede producirse eso, de que tengan más la pelota que nosotros", dijo Sabella. "El tema es que cuando la tenemos nosotros podemos lastimar al contrario, y hoy (eso) se nos hizo dificultoso".

Perú se adueñó del mediocampo con cinco hombres, mientras que Pizarro aparecía solo en la punta.

Ordenada, la zaga peruana le disputó el balón a los delanteros argentinos. Messi apareció en escasas ocasiones, y en la primera media hora de juego, Argentina no llevó peligro al arco de Raúl Fernández.

A los 37 no obstante, un descuido del defensor peruano Luis Rodríguez fue aprovechado por Ezequiel Lavezzi, quien conectó un centro para Gonzalo Higuaín y éste enganchó para el empate argentino.

En la segunda mitad, Perú siguió presionando a Argentina, sin dejarle espacios. A los 54, Luis Carrillo se perdió un gol cuando su remate pegó en el palo izquierdo, salvándose Argentina.

El mediocampista argentino Fernando Gago salió del partido en el segundo tiempo con cuello ortopédico, luego de un recibir en golpe en la cabeza.

Hacia el final del partido, no obstante, Perú empezó a perder contundencia mientras Argentina crecía.

A cuatro minutos del final, el técnico de la selección peruana Sergio Markarián jugó su última carta e hizo entrar a Paolo Guerrero, para imprimir más ataque al equipo.

Argentina tuvo una ocasión de gol sobre los descuentos con un remate de Higuaín que fue desviado por el golero Fernández.

Markarián lamentó que la ansiedad le jugó una mala pasada a Perú.

"Nos queda un sinsabor, la amargura de tener solo siete puntos... y haber hecho méritos en varios partidos para tener algo más", dijo el entrenador uruguayo. "Pero en el fondo quizás (nos quedamos) con la tranquilidad de haber jugado bien, y de no estar lejos de quienes van primero".

El partido se jugó en el Estadio Nacional de Lima, que lució un lleno total.

___

Alineaciones:

PERU: Raúl Fernández, Luis Advíncula, Carlos Zambrano, Alberto Rodríguez, Yoshimar Yotún, Rinaldo Cruzado, Carlos Lobatón (Josepmir Ballón, 46), Luis Ramírez (Paolo Guerrero, 86), André Carrillo (Paolo Hurtado, 76), Jefferson Farfán y Claudio Pizarro.

ARGENTINA: Sergio Romero, Hugo Campagnaro, Ezequiel Garay, Federico Fernández, Marcos Rojo, Javier Mascherano, Fernando Gago (Pablo Guiñazú, 60), Angel Di María (Maxi Rodríguez, 89), Lionel Messi, Ezequiel Lavezzi y Gonzalo Higuaín.

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