It would, if we are honest, have been a remarkable achievement if Bert van Marwijk had steered Australia through the group stage six months after taking charge, and the final Group C standings offer an accurate reflection of where they currently are.
As in their previous two outings they made a game of things here and, with more quality in attack, might have prolonged any element of doubt that surrounded matters while Denmark and France slugged their way to a dour draw in Moscow. But they look like a team caught between eras and, up against opponents who did not let their own early elimination spoil a good time, were comfortably second best. André Carrillo’s thrilling finish gave Peru’s legion of new admirers something tangible to remember their tournament by and Paolo Guerrero, whose doping ban became a global cause celebre in the weeks leading up to it, provided a storybook ending to their adventure with a neat effort that brought the house down inside a muggy Fisht Stadium.
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