Uruguay favourites to win a 15th Copa America title

Uruguay are on course to become the most successful football team in South American history after they booked their place in the 2011 Copa America final with a 2-0 win over Peru, thanks to a brace from Liverpool forward Luis Suarez.

With the traditional powerhouses of Brazil and Argentina already out of the competition, the latter were beaten by Uruguay in the quarter-finals, La Celeste are now firm favourites to win a record 15th South American title. That would be one more than Argentina have, and seven more than Brazil.

Uruguay were fully expected to overcome Peru in the semi final, but all four quarter-finals had seen shock results so Oscar Washington Tabarez's side could afford to take nothing for granted, and it was not until the second half that Peru finally buckled.

The goal came after 53 minutes when Diego Forlan tried his luck from 30 yards out. Although his shot was crisp enough, it was heading wide of the goal, but that did not stop Peruvian keeper Raul Fernandez from making the save.

Unfortunately he only succeeded in parrying the ball into the path of Suarez who squeezed home from a tight angle.

Fernandez blotted his copybook again just a couple of minutes later when Alvaro Pereira sent Suarez through on goal with a lovely chip over the Peruvian defence.

Suarez was favourite to score, but the keeper did himself no favours by charging out of his box where the Liverpool player easily went round him before finding the net.

Any hopes Peru had of a comeback vanished after 69 minutes when their captain Juan Vargas was sent off for elbowing Sebastian Coates in the face.

Uruguay will now face either Paraguay or Venezuela in the final as they seek to win the competition for the first time since 1995. ·