TEMUCO, Chile (AP) Paolo Guerrero's hat trick led Peru to a 3-1 win against Bolivia on Thursday, securing a place in the semifinals of the Copa America.
Peru attacked from the first minute, with Guerrero opening the scoring in the 20th when he headed in a perfectly placed cross from Juan Vargas. He added his second in the 23rd on the counterattack, with Christian Cueva supplying the pass. His third came in the 74th after intercepting a pass.
Bolivia's Marcelo Moreno converted a penalty kick in the 84th.
Peru faces host Chile on Monday in the semifinals. On Friday, Argentina plays Colombia in a quarterfinal, and Brazil faces Paraguay on Saturday in the other.
''We are showing that this team wants to move on, to improve and we hope this will be the start because we want to qualify for the World Cup,'' Guerrero said.
Peru went with an attacking lineup of Guerrero, Claudio Pizarro and Jefferson Farfan against Bolivia's stubborn defense.
The Peruvians could have had at least two more in the first half. Farfan had several chances, shooting just wide of the near post in the 37th and then hitting the crossbar in stoppage time.
Guerrero continued in the second half to shoot at every opportunity, with Marcelo Moreno also pressing to get Bolivia back into the match. Farfan had the best chance early in the second half, sending a shot wide of the far post in the 64th.
The game might have turned in the 69th when Bolivia's Ricardo Pedriel tripped over diving goalkeeper Peru Pedro Gallese, but Colombia referee Wilmar Roldan waved off a penalty.
Minutes later, Guerrero scored his third, intercepting a pass and racing in to score from 15 yards.
