Photo: Sporting News

Lima, Peru (BBN) - Peru ended their 36-year wait for a World Cup berth after overcoming New Zealand 2-0 in Wednesday's inter-confederation playoff.

The playoff tie between the fifth-placed CONMEBOL nation and the Oceania champions was evenly poised following Saturday's goalless draw in Wellington, reports sportingnews.com.

However, Peru proved too strong in front of a sea of red at Estadio Nacional thanks to veteran forward Jefferson Farfan and Christian Ramos, becoming the 32nd and final country to book their ticket to Russia next year.

Farfan set the tone in the 28th minute – his 23rd international strike – unleashing an unstoppable volley straight through All Whites goalkeeper Stefan Marinovic.

And Peru sealed their return to the World Cup for the first time since 1982 when center-back Christian Ramos bundled the ball home just past the hour-mark – granting the population a national holiday on Thursday as promised by the government.
With all-time leading scorer Paolo Guerrero already missing through suspension following a positive drugs test, Peru made three changes to their line-up. Andre Carrillo, Yoshimar Yotun and Aldo Corzo dropped out for Andy Polo, Raul Ruidiaz and Luis Advincula.
All Whites head coach Anthony Hudson made two changes, one enforced with veteran Andrew Durante replacing injured defender Tommy Smith, while playmaker Marco Rojas moved to the bench for former Marseille midfielder Bill Tuiloma. There was no room for talismanic Burnley star Chris Wood, who was among the substitutes in the first leg amid fitness concerns.
Played in front of a deafening atmosphere in Lima, Peru stormed out of the blocks and controlled proceedings from the outset.
Advincula almost opened the scoring in the third minute, cutting inside from the right-hand side and rattling the crossbar with a ferocious long-range effort.
The game continued to be played in New Zealand's half as the visitors channeled their rugby union counterparts – world champions the All Blacks – with a spirited rearguard effort, but the All Whites eventually succumbed to Peru's pressure approaching the half-hour mark.
Christian Cueva created space to beat New Zealand captain Winston Reid – fortunate to survive a penalty shout for an apparent handball earlier in the match – before squaring the ball to Farfan, who took a touch and volleyed powerfully into the roof of the net – sparking wild celebrations.
It could have been 2-0 at half-time after Marinovic fumbled a Miguel Trauco shot but he recovered and managed to juggle the ball away from Farfan.
With no option but to push numbers forward, Hudson turned to Wood and Burnley's record signing made an impact, forcing Peru back for the first time in the match.
Any hopes the Kiwis had of progressing were dashed in the 65th minute, however, when Ramos made his way up for a corner and netted Peru's second goal after New Zealand failed to clear their lines as Ricardo Gareca's men celebrated wildly on the sidelines.
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Hope Solo and Sepp Blatter presented an award together in 2013. Photo: Getty Images

Lisbon, Portugal (BBN) - US goalkeeper Hope Solo has accused former Fifa president Sepp Blatter of sexual harassment.

The World Cup winner, 36, says the incident happened at the 2013 Ballon d'Or awards, before she went on stage to present an award, reports BBC.

In an interview with Portugal newspaper Expresso, Solo - who has 202 caps - said: "I had Sepp Blatter grab my ass."
Blatter, 81, denied the incident took place, with his spokesman telling BBC Sport: "This allegation is ridiculous."

Solo, when asked why she has not spoken out on the incident before, added: "I was nervous for the presentation. It was the Ballon d'Or I was presenting.

"After that I didn't see him and that was kind of bad. I didn't get to tell him directly "don't ever touch me". That's the way I've always handled things. Directly."
A growing number of public figures have been accused of sexual harassment in recent weeks, sparked by multiple women speaking out against the Hollywood mogul Harvey Weinstein.
Solo, a two-time Olympic gold medallist, says the issue is "rampant" in women's football.
"I've seen it throughout my entire career," she said. "It's not just in Hollywood.
"For years, in the past, female players date and end up marrying their college coaches, which obviously a coach should not be doing, especially with a young player.
"I've seen it not just with coaches, I've seen it with trainers, doctors, and our press officers. I've seen it among players in the locker room. I don't know why more players don't speak out against it."
Blatter was head of the world football's governing body for 17 years, until a corruption scandal in 2015.
Fifa subsequently banned the Swiss official from the sport for eight years, a term later reduced to six years after appeal.
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Real Madrid forward Cristiano Ronaldo and boss Zinedine Zidane with their awards. Photo: Getty Images

London, UK (BBN) - Cristiano Ronaldo was named the world's best male player at the 2017 Best Fifa Football Awards in London.

The Real Madrid and Portugal forward beat Barcelona's Lionel Messi and Paris St-Germain's Neymar to the honour, reports BBC.

Ronaldo, 32, helped Real to a Champions League-La Liga double in 2016-17.

Lieke Martens of Barcelona and the Netherlands won best female player, Real Madrid's Zinedine Zidane was named best men's coach and Netherlands' Sarina Wiegman the best female coach.

Arsenal's Olivier Giroud received the Puskas award for the best goal of 2017 for his 'scorpion kick' against Crystal Palace in January.
Celtic won the fan award after they honoured the club's 1967 'Lisbon Lions' with a stunning 360-degree card display on the 50th anniversary of their historic European Cup win.
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Lionel Messi scored a hat-trick to book Argentina's spot at next year's World Cup. Photo: Getty Images

Quito, Ecuador (BBN) - Lionel Messi scored a superb hat-trick as Argentina came from behind to win away in Ecuador and qualify for the 2018 World Cup in Russia.

Brazil had already qualified and Luis Suarez scored twice as Uruguay beat Bolivia 4-2 to qualify, with Colombia also advancing with a 1-1 draw in Peru, reports BBC.

Peru finished fifth in South American qualifying and will now meet New Zealand in a two-legged play-off.
But Alexis Sanchez and Chile are out after losing 3-0 away in Brazil.

Argentina began the day in sixth position and in danger of not qualifying for a World Cup for the first time since 1970.

They made a terrible start in the high-altitude location of Quito and the hosts went ahead after 38 seconds through Romario Ibarra's goal - the quickest goal Argentina had ever conceded in a World Cup qualifier.
However, Argentina, World Cup runners-up in Brazil in 2014, fought back with Messi in stunning form.
The five-time world player of the year equalised after 12 minutes when he linked up with ex-Manchester United midfielder Angel di Maria and stabbed home.
His second goal came eight minutes later with a powerful strike from the edge of the area before a fine solo goal in the second half sealed the victory.
DISASTER FOR CHILE
Chile, who have won the Copa America in its last two tournaments, were aiming to qualify for their third successive World Cup after reaching the last 16 in 2010 and 2014.
They began the final round of matches in third place, but fell behind to two Brazil goals in three second-half minutes from Paulinho and Gabriel Jesus.
With Peru scoring a late equaliser against Colombia, Chile needed to score to be in the play-offs. In injury-time, Chile attacked with all of their players, including goalkeeper Claudio Bravo, in the Brazil half.
However, the attack broke down, Brazil launched the ball forward and Jesus walked the ball into the net for his second with Manchester City team-mate Bravo stranded to confirm Chile's elimination.
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Neymar reportedly earns more from his off-field endorsements than his playing contract. Photo: Getty Images

Brasília, Brazil (BBN) - Neymar will earn 865,000 euros (£775,477) a week when the Brazil forward completes his world record move from Barcelona to Paris St-Germain.
The 25-year-old's wages will equate to 45m euros (£40.3m) a year before tax, reports BBC.
Barcelona have told the French club they must pay his 222m euro (£198m) fee "in full" and they are understood to be ready to meet his release clause.
It means PSG's total outlay across the initial five-year deal will come to £400m.
The Brazil international arrived at training on Wednesday with his father and representative, and told the Spanish club he wanted to leave.
He was then given permission by Barca manager Ernesto Valverde not to train and to "sort out his future".
The latest development comes two days after it emerged Barca were ready to push for a Financial Fair Play investigation if PSG signed Neymar.
That came after La Liga president Javier Tebas threatened, in an interview with Mundo Deportivo, a legal response against the former Ligue 1 champions if European football's governing body failed to take action.
He also said PSG president Nasser Al-Khelaifi had been made aware of the Spanish league's intentions.
HOW DOES NEYMAR'S CONTRACT COMPARE?
According to Forbes' rich list, the Brazilian is currently the only footballer to earn more from his off-field endorsements than his playing contract at Barcelona.
Neymar's sponsors include global brands such as Nike, Gillette, Panasonic and Beats by Dre and bring the 25-year-old in $22m (£16.6m) on top of his $15m (£11.3m) salary.
"He was the first soccer player to have his own custom Air Jordan sneakers made by the Swoosh," says Forbes.
However, that will change when he completes a world-record move to PSG and collects a pre-tax weekly wage of 865,000 euros (£775,477) or 45m euros (£40.3m) a year.
That is more than current Barcelona team-mate Lionel Messi, who signed a new deal worth a reported £500k per week in July, and Real Madrid forward Cristiano Ronaldo's £365,00-a-week deal.
It looks set to make the Brazilian the best-paid player in the world, overtaking Carlos Tevez who is said to earn £615,000 per week at Shanghai Shenhua.
HERE IS HOW NEYMAR'S DEAL SHAPES UP TO BUMPER CONTRACTS IN OTHER SPORTS:
Earlier this year, NBA franchise the Houston Rockets signed James Harden to a four-year deal worth a reported $172m (£130m)
Baseball's Giancarlo Stanton signed a 13-year Miami Marlins deal worth £246m in 2014
Indianapolis Colts quarterback Andrew Luck boasts the richest contract in NFL history at £106m
Mercedes driver Lewis Hamilton became Britain's best-paid sportsman in 2015 with £100m deal
Conor McGregor has earned £26m from two UFC bouts in the past 12 months
Golfer Rory McIlroy's 10-year deal with Nike is worth £80m
MESSI LEADS TRIBUTES
Team-mate Messi has paid tribute to the 25-year-old. He wrote in an Instagram post: "It was a great pleasure to have shared all these years with you my friend Neymar. I wish you good luck in this new stage of your life. See you tomorrow."
Neymar responded to the post saying: "Thank you brother.. I will miss you uncle!"
Neymar moved to Barcelona from Brazilian club Santos in 2013 for £48.6m, and signed a new five-year deal with the 24-time Spanish champions in 2016.
His representative Wagner Ribeiro, who on Wednesday tweeted he was in Paris, said last year that his client had been offered a tax-free £650,000 a week to sign for the French club.
He also said the forward "was close to a move to Manchester United".
Rumours of Neymar's potential departure resurfaced recently, but club president Josep Maria Bartomeu told the BBC the player would be staying.
Neymar played for the Catalan side in the recent International Champions Cup in the United States, before travelling to China to fulfil commercial commitments.
He travelled back to Spain on Tuesday and returned to the club's training ground on Wednesday.
The Brazilian has scored 105 goals for Barcelona, helping them to two league titles, three Copas del Rey and a Champions League crown.
"REVONS PLUS GRAND"
PSG's motto is hard to avoid at their stadium, Parc de Princes.
PSG's owners, Qatari Sports Investment (QSI), are the upstarts within the European game and determined to disrupt the old order.
QSI is an arm of Qatar's sovereign wealth fund - so PSG's ambitions are backed by the enormous natural gas wealth of the Gulf state.
Qatar is locked in a bitter dispute with its Arab neighbours - so this transfer has a distinct political overtone as it seeks to show it will not be diminished or cowed by an ongoing trade blockade and a diplomatic war of words.
Having secured the World Cup in 2022, Doha sees PSG as one of the ways through which the state can achieve its ambitions.
Uefa's Financial Fair Play regulations have certainly tempered PSG's elaborate spending in recent seasons, and Neymar's arrival would represent a serious challenge to the club in this respect - but there's confidence within PSG's boardroom that it will not be a significant issue.
Ultimately this deal will not be judged in the governmental salons of Doha nor on a spreadsheet. Instead, success must be delivered through PSG capturing arguably the club game's greatest trophy, the Champions League.
WHAT WILL BARCELONA BE MISSING?
Neymar is one third of Barcelona's 'MSN' strikeforce, which also includes Lionel Messi and Luis Suarez.
In the past three seasons, they have scored 250 goals between them in 299 appearances.
But they do more than just score...
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Germany won the 2014 World Cup in Brazil. Photo: Getty Images

New York, US (BBN) - The United States, Canada and Mexico have announced they will make a joint bid to host the 2026 World Cup.
It will be the first tournament after the expansion from 32 teams to 48 and, if successful, would be the first time a World Cup has been shared by three hosts, reports BBC.
The proposal would be for the USA to host 60 matches, with 10 games each in Canada and Mexico.
The decision on who will host the event will be made in 2020.
That is three years later than originally scheduled because of corruption allegations surrounding the awarding of the 2018 and 2022 World Cups to Russia and Qatar.
The USA staged the 1994 World Cup, which had the highest average attendance in the tournament's history, while Mexico was the first nation to host the event twice, in 1970 and 1986. Canada hosted the 2015 women's World Cup.
US President Donald Trump has promised to build a border wall between the USA and Mexico but Sunil Gulati, president of the US Soccer Federation, said Trump is "supportive" of the bid and had "encouraged" it.
"The United States, Mexico and Canada have individually demonstrated their exceptional abilities to host world-class events," added Gulati.
"When our nations come together as one - as we will for 2026 - there is no question the United States, Mexico and Canada will deliver an experience that will celebrate the game and serve players, supporters and partners alike."
European and Asian countries cannot bid for the 2026 World Cup due to world governing body Fifa's rotation policy, which means the previous two host confederations - Europe in 2018 and Asia in 2022 - are excluded.
The new-look tournament will begin with an initial round of 16 three-team groups, with 32 qualifiers going through to the knockout stage.
HAS THE BIDDING PROCESS CHANGED?
Fifa's executive committee is no longer responsible for the final say on which country is awarded a World Cup.
Instead, it will establish a shortlist before the 209 member nations of Fifa cast a vote for their preferred choice.
The 2026 tournament will be the first to be decided under the new system.
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