Venezuela draw 0-0 with Peru in their Copa America opener

Soccer Football - Copa America Brazil 2019 - Group A - Venezuela v Peru - Arena Do Gremio, Porto Alegre, Brazil - June 15, 2019 Venezuela's Salomon Rondon shoots at goal from a free kick REUTERS/Henry Romero

PORTO ALEGRE, Brazil (Reuters) - Venezuela and Peru began their Copa America with a nervous 0-0 draw on Saturday in a match marked by two Peruvian goals chalked off after consultation with the Video Assistant Referee (VAR).

Christofer Gonzales’s 11th-minute goal was disallowed for offside earlier in the move and then Jefferson Farfan suffered the same fate 19 minutes into the second half after his header hit the net.

The game grew more tense after Venezuela had Luis Mago sent off with 16 minutes remaining.

Soccer Football - Copa America Brazil 2019 - Group A - Venezuela v Peru - Arena Do Gremio, Porto Alegre, Brazil - June 15, 2019 Peru's Jefferson Farfan in action with Venezuela's Luis Del Pino Mago REUTERS/Diego Vara

Peru were unfortunate not to sneak all three points, with Venezuelan goalkeeper Wuilker Farinez making a superb reflex save to scoop the ball off the line in the closing minutes of the match.

"We are a bit upset because we think we deserved to win," said Peruvian captain Paulo Guerrero. "We just couldn’t find the last ball.

"We did what we could. All we lacked was a goal."

Soccer Football - Copa America Brazil 2019 - Group A - Venezuela v Peru - Arena Do Gremio, Porto Alegre, Brazil - June 15, 2019 Peru's Pedro Gallese in action REUTERS/Diego Vara

The first half was a stop-start affair but things improved in the second period as Peru imposed themselves on their opponents, one of only two South American sides never to win the Copa America.

The draw means both sides are tied in second place in Group A, behind host nation Brazil, who beat Bolivia 3-0 in the tournament’s opening match on Friday.

Peru now face Bolivia on Tuesday in the second round of matches and Brazil take on Venezuela the same day.

Soccer Football - Copa America Brazil 2019 - Group A - Venezuela v Peru - Arena Do Gremio, Porto Alegre, Brazil - June 15, 2019 Peru's Paolo Guerrero and Christofer Gonzales in action with Venezuela's Salomon Rondon REUTERS/Diego Vara

(Reporting by Andrew Downie; editing by Clare Fallon)

Soccer Football - Copa America Brazil 2019 - Group A - Venezuela v Peru - Arena Do Gremio, Porto Alegre, Brazil - June 15, 2019 Peru's Paolo Guerrero in action with Venezuela's Roberto Rosales REUTERS/Henry Romero

Soccer Football - Copa America Brazil 2019 - Group A - Venezuela v Peru - Arena Do Gremio, Porto Alegre, Brazil - June 15, 2019 Venezuela's John Chancellor in action with Peru's Paolo Guerrero and Carlos Zambrano REUTERS/Diego Vara

Soccer Football - Copa America Brazil 2019 - Group A - Venezuela v Peru - Arena Do Gremio, Porto Alegre, Brazil - June 15, 2019 Venezuela's Salomon Rondon in action with Peru's Carlos Zambrano REUTERS/Henry Romero