Controversial Peru goal sends Brazil home out of Copa America

Brazil was controversially eliminated in the group stage of the Copa America Centenario after an apparent handball from Raul Ruidiaz lifted Peru to a 1-0 victory on Sunday.

Last year’s semifinalist Peru booked a spot in the quarterfinals ahead of Brazil in Group B as Ruidiaz broke the deadlock with 15 minutes remaining but replays showed the substitute had used his hand to bundle Andy Polo’s cross over the line as the game descended into chaos at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Massachusetts.

In farcical scenes, referee Andres Cunha awarded Ruidiaz’s 75th-minute goal, only to then consult with his linesman and after almost five minutes of discussions amid protests from Brazil, which only needed a draw to advance, the decision was upheld.

Elias almost salvaged the required draw but the unmarked midfielder failed to score inside the six-yard box with three minutes to play.

After Ecuador’s 4-0 rout of Haiti, the result meant Brazil failed to progress beyond the group stage for the first time since 1987.