Venezuela trips Peru in Copa America

---

Venezuela won a Copa match for the first time in 40 years, and Uruguay also advanced by shutting out Bolivia on Saturday, according to wire services.
Venezuela won for the first time in 40 years at the Copa America on Saturday night, defeating Peru 2-0 at Maracaibo, Venezuela, to lead Group A and position itself to reach the quarterfinals.
Defender Alejandro Cichero gave Venezuela the lead in the 49th minute, outleaping the Peru defence and heading Ricardo Maldonado's corner kick inside the right post.
Substitute Daniel Arismendi scored a minute after Ricardo Paez was sent off for a second yellow card in the 78th minute. Venezuela leads Group A with four points, and Uruguay and Peru have three points each.
The top two teams in each of the three four-team groups advance, along with the top two third-place teams.
Venezuela has long been the walkover of South American soccer, but after a string of victories against regional rivals in recent years, the tournament host is convinced it can advance for the first time. It won't be easy -- Venezuela plays Uruguay Tuesday night, and Peru will face Bolivia.
Venezuela's only other victory in the Copa was a 3-0 decision against Bolivia in its 1967 tournament debut.
Uruguay 1, Bolivia 0: Striker Vicente Sanchez poked in the ball early in the second half and struggling Uruguay maintained its chances of reaching the Copa America quarterfinals by defeating Bolivia at San Cristobal, Venezuela.
Diego Forlan headed down a cross in front of the goal and Sanchez slid to toe the ball under Bolivian goalkeeper Sergio Galarza in the 58th minute.
The goal energized Uruguay, whose slow and ineffective play in the first half resembled its performance against Peru.
Peru upset Uruguay, a two-time World Cup champion, 3-0 in the Copa America opener Tuesday in Merida.
But despite dominating possessions at midfield, Forlan and his teammates rarely troubled the Bolivian defence.
Galarza thwarted one chance in injury time during the first half, charging off his line to disrupt a charging Sanchez.
Before the start of the match, Spanish club Atletico Madrid confirmed it had agreed to transfer terms with Villarreal to acquire Forlan. Spanish media reported the deal was worth $28.36 million, and that Forlan would be offered a four-year contract.
As in two previous matches, the Venezuelan crowd chanted political slogans against President Hugo Chavez, whom the opposition accuses of trying to muzzle press freedom by not renewing the license of a private TV channel critical of the leftist government.