Sri Lanka win 1st T-20 Match against Australia

           Match Report: Sri Lanka vs Australia, 1st T20 international, Pallekel, Ausguat 6, 2011

Sri Lanka win their 1st T-20 match against Australia last night. Tillakaratne Dilshan achieved two objectives when he scored an unbeaten 104 off 57 balls in the first T-20 International against Australia at the Pallekele Stadium. He not only scored his first maiden T20 century but also get man-of-the match award also.
 Eventually Sri Lanka beat Australia by 35 runs in emphatic fashion to take a 1-0 lead in the short two-match series. Dilshan was not alone in helping Sri Lanka to an imposing total of 198-3 as he forged partnerships of 52 off 42 balls with Kumar Sangakkara (30) and an unbroken 104 off 45 balls with Jeevan Mendis (29 not out), who seems to be improving with every game.
 Australia were strangled by Lankan spinners as they were restricted to 163-8 with only David Warner making any impression with 52 off 31 balls (2 sixes, 6 fours). Off-spinner Dilruwan Perera made a dream debut taking a wicket off his first over (trapping Shaun Marsh lbw) and then going onto to bowl David Hussey and skipper Cameron White to end with figures of 3 for 26. Left-armer Rangana Herath also bowled tightly as the asking rose to astronomical proportions picking up the wicket of Steve Smith for figures of one for 11.

                                                                    Final Result: Sri Lanka: 198/3
                                                                                           Australia:  163/8

                     Man of the match: Tillakaratne Dilshan (104*) 

The second T20 International is scheduled to be played at the same venue on Monday.

At last Uruguay Wins Copa Cup 2011

At last Uruguay wins copa cup 2011. At 8pm by the British Summer Time the Final match was started. It really is summer out there in that time and the 2011 Copa America final is underway, the kick-off greeted by a primal roar from their supporters. Uruguay, kicking from right to left, gets us going. The first foul comes after just 46 seconds, Zeballos bringing down Maxi Pereira. Uruguay is well on top. Paraguay are all over the place. Within 9 minutes Uruguay had five corners already. Paraguay are a mess. 10 min: At last, Paraguay give themselves some breathing space with an incisive break through the middle. Zeballos finds room on the right side of the area, but Coates defends superbly, although he can't prevent the corner, which is a waste of time anyway.

After 12 min Uruguay have started this match superbly, Paraguay have been a rabble. Given the way they have defended in this tournament though, the manner of this goal comes as a surprise though. The defending was appalling. It all came from a harmless long ball lobbed into the area. Veron won the first header, but didn't get much distance on it. After a bit of scrapping outside the area, eventually Maxi Pereira tried to volley it back into the box. His effort took a huge deflection and suddenly fell to the feet of the unmarked Suarez on the right side of the area. With a clear sight of goal, he superbly sold Veron a dummy, ducking inside and then hitting a low shot towards the right corner. His shot took a big deflection off Veron's knee though, leaving the statuesque Villar helpless as the ball spiraled into the opposite corner, but Uruguay deserve that slice of luck.

 Uruguay are closing in on a record 15th Copa America title now. Paraguay were their own worst enemies here, stroking the ball around aimlessly at the back. Facing his own goal and with no idea what was going on behind him, Ortigoza dawdled on the ball just outside the area. The excellent Arevalo Rios was quickly all over him, and once he pinched the ball, there was inevitability to this. Paraguay were caught woefully short as Arevalo shuffled the ball to the left for Forlan, who caught the ball perfectly with his left foot, his shot from 15 yards out whistling past the exposed Villar, who must be wondering why he bothers. What a marvelously clean strike.

At the ending moment of the game How fitting that Diego Forlan should put the seal on Uruguay's 15th Copa America title. And what an exquisite counter-attacking goal as well. After Paraguay's corner was cleared, Uruguay broke, Cavani set clear on the left. He had both Suarez and Forlan to pick out, and decided to pick out the former, clipping the ball to his right. Instead of taking it on, Suarez unselfishly just cushioned a sublime header through to Forlan - rather like Dennis Bergkamp's assist for Patrick Kluivert against Argentina in 1998 - and the striker strolled through and rolled a classy finish past Villar and into the bottom-right corner.

The Final whistle blows, Uruguay are the 2011 Copa America Champions and more to the point. They are now the most successful team in the Tournament’s History.

                                                  Presentations Ceremony

                                              Paraguay go up to collect their runners-up medals.

                                             goalkeeper of the tournament: Justo Villar (Paraguay)

                                                      Diego Lugano lifts an award for fair play.

                                                 Uruguay collect their medals from Sepp Blatter.

                                                         Best Player of the Tournament: Suarez

                                For the 15th time in their history, Uruguay lift the Copa America trophy.

Uruguay: Muslera; Maxi Pereira, Luganno, Coates, Caceres; Gonzalez, Perez, Arevalo Riosm, Alvaro Pereira; Forlan, Suarez. Subs: Castillo, Silva, Godin, Gargano, Rodriguez, Eguren, Lodeiro, Abreu, Hernandez, Scotti, Cavani.

Paraguay: Villar; Piris, Da Silva, Veron, Marecos; Riveros, Ortigoza, Caceres, Vera; Valdez, Zeballos. Subs: Diego Barreto, Fernandez, Alcaraz, Caceres, Edgar Barreto, Martinez, Barrios, Estigarribia, Perez.

Uruguay beats Peru and reach Copa America Final

With Argentina and Brazil out, Uruguay were the new favorites to win the 2011 Copa America and clinch their 15th title. They were dominant throughout the semi-final and made sure they did not bottle the chance to go all the way. Uruguay reached the Copa America final with a 2-0 win over Peru to book a showdown with either giant killers Venezuela or Paraguay.
Liverpool star Suarez caused the Peru defence problems early on with his typical intelligent movement. Firstly, he was denied the chance to be through on goal after receiving the ball in space and taking on the defender, however the assistant flagged for a foul. Then shortly after he found some space again after a Forlan free kick, but sliced the volley wide.
It was all Uruguay in the first 15 minutes, with Peru seemingly sitting back waiting for the opportune moment. Maxi Pereira was finding space down the right hand side causing problems, whilst the Peru ‘keeper Fernandez was causing himself problems. He failed to deal with a cross from the right, and Alvaro Pereira was there to pounce, but the Peruvian goalkeeper managed to pull off the point blank save.
Peru’s first chance came after 24 minutes when Juan Vargas was released down the left and whipped in a low cross, but neither Guerrero or Advincula could get the crucial touch to guide it home. Alvaro Pereira slid in to clear, another showing of impressive defending from the Porto wing back. Uruguay had a goal ruled out just before half time when Forlan knocked in a long free kick, which was hindered on by Lugano toward Alvaro Pereira, but the defender had drifted offside and the linesman’s flag went up immediately.
Suarez said that It was a very tough game in the first half and we lacked a little clarity though we kept trying to make chances.
The Uruguayans remained dominant after the interval and were finally reward with a goal shortly after half time. Forlan cut inside and shot from 30 yards, which was saved and spilled by Fernandez only for Suarez to pounce on the rebound. 1-0 and Uruguay were heading for the final.
Peru needed to bounce back soon, but were never given the chance. The high line of the Peru defence were punished by a fantastic pass long ball from Alvaro Pereira, which was controlled nicely by Luis Suarez. The Liverpool striker took it pass the incoming Fernandez and slotted home neatly into the open goal. 2-0 and it was looking like game over for the Peruvians.
Matters got a lot worse for Peru when their captain and most influential player Juan Vargas was sent off for an elbow on Coates. A deliberate elbow deserving of the red card, but it happened just moments after Lugano escaped with booking after a not so different offence.
Peru still managed to step it up a gear with 10 men in search of at least one goal back to make things interesting. They were seeing more of the ball, but were still vulnerable at the back. The fresh legs of Hernandez, who was brought on for Suarez, threatened with a shot after cutting inside but his effort was straight at the ‘keeper.
The 10 men of Peru were almost gifted a goal shortly after when Guerrero’s shot from range was fumbled by Muslera, but the Uruguay goalkeeper was able to recover the ball before it rolled over the line.
Despite any last ditch efforts from Peru, Uruguay closed out the 2-0 victory to reach the final of the 2011 Copa America where they will be looking to win a record 15th title. Peru go home but can certainly be proud with reaching the Semi finals of the tournament, surpassing most people’s expectations.

 Uruguay Vs Peru Teams 

Uruguay Vs Peru Full Match Highlights