Lima (Peru), Aug 22 (IANS): Venezuelan team Caracas FC defeated Peru's Inti Gas 1-0 in a Copa Sudamericana (South American Cup) match played in the southern Peruvian city of Ayacucho.
The game at Inti Gas' home stadium of Cumana Thursday, where some 3,000 spectators had gathered, was lacklustre and filled with both tactical and playing blunders, reports Xinhua.
Even the Ecuadorian referee made mistakes, calling a non-existent penalty but failing to invalidate a goal that appeared to be offside.
The winning goal was scored in the 83rd minute by forward Dany Cure, who was a 61st minute substitute for Ricardo Andreutti.
While the referee awarded Caracas a penalty in the 17th minute, for an alleged foul against midfielder Romulo Otero near the goal line, centre midfielder Roberto Tucker missed the shot, hitting the ball against the right goalpost instead.
Inti Gas were unable to take advantage of their high-altitude home turf, which sits 2,761 metres above sea level, and the visiting team seemed tireless, despite travelling from Caracas to Cucuta, Colombia, then to Peru's capital Lima, before finally landing in Ayacucho.
The second leg of the match will take place Aug 28.