LIMA: Peru became the last side to clinch their place at next year’s World Cup finals when goals in each half from Jefferson Farfan and Christian Ramos gave them a 2-0 win over New Zealand in the second leg of their inter-confederation playoff on Wednesday.

After a 0-0 draw in Wellington on Saturday, a more vibrant Peru showed up at the Estadio Nacional and although both sides had chances in a tense match the hosts were more clinical in front of goal.

The Peruvians, who last went to the World Cup finals in 1982, celebrated with abandon when the final whistle went and were guaranteed a day to recover after the government promised a national holiday.

“It is a wait of 35 years. It’s a big emotion, beyond making history,” said a tearful Christian Cueva, the gifted left winger who had a hand in creating both goals, told reporters as the players completed a boisterous lap of honour.

“It’s a child’s dream and now it is time to celebrate. We didn’t deserve to be away from the World Cup for so long. Now we have to keep working and prepare for the finals.”

Peru President Pedro Pablo Kuczynski tweeted his joy after the match, posting the message: “We waited more than 35 years to be in a World Cup again. Thank you warriors for giving us this joy. Let’s celebrate with responsibility.”

New Zealand, ranked 122nd in the world, was seeking a third World Cup finals berth after appearances in 1982 and 2010.

“I’m proud of the team, but everybody should be proud of these players because what they’ve done is incredible and tonight they played to an incredible level,” New Zealand manager Anthony Hudson said.

“Overall, very proud, given the challenges we had coming here, with the key players we had who were injured, knowing that we had to manage game time for many of them.”

A noisy fireworks display was exploded above the New Zealand team hotel on Tuesday night, prompting Hudson to lament lost sleep.

“We would have had a better chance of winning this game if our hotel had been right next to Peru’s national team. And we’d have had some more sleep. Next time we’ll stay next to Peru’s hotel,” Hudson said.

Despite the absence of their main striker Paolo Guerrero, who is serving a FIFA doping ban, the Peruvians controlled the match from the start.

Farfan opened the scoring in the 28th minute from the edge of the box burying the ball into the New Zealand net. In tears, the Lokomotiv Moscow forward showed the shirt of his boyhood friend Guerrero to the crowd.

The home side could have scored more but an early drive from Luis Advincula hit the woodwork and All Whites keeper Stefan Marinovic did well to stop a bending drive from Miguel Trauco and then get a hand to Farfan’s shot from the rebound.

New Zealand brought on Chris Wood at halftime in search of a vital away goal and a series of long balls to the towering Burnley striker managed to put Peru on the back foot in the early stages of the second period.

However, the Kiwis could not make their temporary control of the contest count and Ramos doubled Peru’s lead after 64 minutes when he seized on a loose ball from a corner kick and lashed it into the roof of the net from close range.

A still tearful Farfan said after the match that his team had “to endure a lot of nonsense until we got here”. Before being banned, Guerrero scored six goals for Peru in South American qualifiers.

“I dedicate this to Paolo, I promised him we would deliver,” Farfan said.

The result extended Peru’s unbeaten run to 10 games, their longest such streak in 75 years.

“Mission accomplished, thank you,” Ricardo Gareca, Peru’s Argentine coach said after the game. “We have managed something very important for the country. I am very emotional.”

Published in Dawn, November 17th, 2017