Peru’s Christian Cueva: I am devastated but Messi missed a penalty too

• Missed spot-kick condemned Peru to Denmark defeat
• ‘All I can do now is work twice as hard to be what I can be’

The sadness and sense of deflation was almost tangible as Peru’s extraordinary band of supporters drifted away from the Mordovia Arena wondering how on earth their first World Cup game in 36 years had ended in defeat, yet nobody – absolutely nobody – looked or sounded as devastated as Christian Cueva. “What can I say? I made a mistake,” he said. “I made a mistake.”

It was Cueva’s wild and wayward penalty just before the interval that proved to be the turning point in a match that Denmark, who were outplayed for long periods and indebted to Kasper Schmeichel for some terrific second-half saves, pinched with a breakaway goal, leaving Peru with little margin for error when they take on France in Ekaterinburg on Thursday. Another defeat and one of the feelgood stories of this World Cup finals could be over.

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