(MENAFN- Arab Times) Eduardo Vargas scored twice as Chile downed fierce rivals Peru 2-1 here Monday to reach the Copa America final for the first time in nearly 30 years. Vargas, who endured a miserable season on loan at relegated English Premier League side Queens Park Rangers, lashed in a stunning 64th-minute strike as the hosts advanced to the final for the first time since 1987.
Vargas had given Chile a controversial lead after 42 minutes, prodding home from close range after the referee's assistant failed to spot a fractional offside.
Peru, who played most of the match with 10 men after Carlos Zambrano was sent off for a reckless challenge on Charles Aranguiz after 20 minutes, came back bravely to force an equaliser through a Gary Medel own goal in the 60th minute.
But Vargas, who also had a legitimate goal wrongly ruled out for offside early in the second half, restored Chile's lead with a contender for goal of the tournament.
The 25-year-old picked up a loose ball in midfield, surged forward and unleashed a ferocious dipping 30-yard effort that flew into the top corner past Peru goalkeeper Pedro Gallese.
Chile will now play the winner of Tuesday's semi-final between Argentina and Paraguay as they chase a first ever Copa America crown after 99 years of failure.
The latest instalment of Chile and Peru's long football rivalry - known as the "Clasico del Pacifico" - burst into life after only four minutes, when Chile's Arturo Vidal tangled angrily with Zambrano.
Vidal was fortunate to escape at least a booking for thrusting a hand in Zambrano's face as tempers threatened to boil over.
Moments later, Venezuelan referee Jose Argota moved to nip the tensions in the bud, showing Zambrano a yellow card for tugging down Arsenal star Alexis Sanchez.
Yet while Chile made the brighter start, it was Peru that came closest to scoring in the opening minutes, with Jefferson Farfan's header from a Paolo Guerrero cross cannoning back off the woodwork.
The match turned in the 20th minute after Zambrano's dismissal.
The centre-half was given his marching orders after catching Charles Aranguiz with an ugly studs-up challenge as he followed through after a clearance.
Sensing Peru's vulnerability, Chile turned up the pressure and might have opened the scoring through Jorge Valdivia on 28 minutes, only for the influential playmaker's curling shot to fly just wide.
Six minutes later, Chile were denied again when Peru defender Luis Advincula produced a superb last-ditch block from Vargas to clear.
Three minutes before half-time, though, Peru's resistance broke when Sanchez's cross from the left bounced back off the inside of the upright for Vargas to bundle home from close range.
The goal was harsh on Peru, though, as replays showed Vargas was fractionally offside when Sanchez crossed.
Chile sought to press home their advantage after the break and Vargas was unlucky to see a superb volleyed goal ruled out.
Peru clawed their way back into the contest on the hour mark when Guerrero released Advincula down the right.
The fullback's cross caused havoc in the Chile area and Medel panicked and prodded home past Claudio Bravo.
Peru's celebrations were shortlived though when Vargas crashed in his winning goal four minutes later.
Chile need Alexis Sanchez to recover his best form as they try to end an almost century-long wait for a first Copa America, according to coach Jorge Sampaoli.
Sampaoli's team reached the final with a 2-1 win over Peru on Monday and will meet the winners of Tuesday's semi-final between favourites Argentina and Paraguay at the national stadium on Saturday.
"When Alexis is not in the fullness (of form) that he has us used to, Chile feel it," Sampaoli said.
"If he is feeling good, he's the most decisive player in this team. We must recover him well because he's vital to us," added the Argentine.
Sanchez has shown flashes of his class in the tournament but contributed only one of Chile's 13 goals in five matches.
Sampaoli suggested the pressure from home fans to reach the final as hosts and win the 99-year-old tournament for the first time affected the team.
Chile were not at their best trying to break down a Peru side reduced to 10 men for 70 minutes after a red card for defender Carlos Zambrano, he said.
"This was the match in which we most lost our shape. Defensively the team struggled a lot to get their shape to recover the ball, we usually get it back much quicker than today (Monday)," Sampaoli said.
"Our anxiety played against us," Sampaoli told reporters.
Defender Mauricio Isla, scorer of the goal that gave Chile a 1-0 win over 2011 champions Uruguay in their quarter-final, echoed that sentiment.
"It wasn't our best match, we had been showing good touch, great finishing and today we got tired," he said.
"Peru complicated us quite a bit, even with a man less. I think the pressure got to us."
The Peruvians were not given much of a chance before the tournament but Sampaoli believes they can carry their much improved form into the 2018 World Cup qualifiers starting in October.
"(Peru) grew throughout the tournament and their big names became stronger and are in great form," said Sampaoli of the work of their coach Ricardo Gareca in the short time he has been in charge.
"From midfield towards the front they have nothing to envy any national team in the Americas."
Peru had a poor 2014 World Cup qualifying campaign and are still looking to reach the finals for the first time since 1982.
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