The South Americans through — they were already destined to go home — but Guerrero’s journey has been such that it will nevertheless go down in Peruvian football history.
The captain feared he would never get to play in a World Cup after being banned for 14 months for testing positive for traces of cocaine. the 34 year-old hooked home a second half shot to seal Peru’s first victory of the tournament and end Australia’s dreams, the 26,000 Peru fans packed into the Fisht Stadium went into meltdown.
For Australia, whose own fans also travelled in numbers, it marks the end of an era because coach Bert Marwijk will now be stepping down and replaced by Sydney FC coach Graham Arnold.
In truth they never looked like making the Dutchman’s reign last any longer.
As it happens even a victory here would not have been enough with group rivals France and Denmark drawing – but the Socceroos were not at the races anyway.
They had enough energy and enough ball possession to challenge for the last 16 but a lack of cutting edge, after also losing to France and drawing with Denmark, was evident from the start.
In fact they leave Russia without having scored a goal from open play, with Aston Villa midfielder Mile Jedinak’s two penalties their only contribution.
The irony is that it was Jedinak who signed the letter to FIFA urging them to allow Guerrero to play in the tournament and Peru’s captain, after thanking the Villa man before kick-off, was the architect of Australia’s demise.
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