Palermo's injury-time winner rescues Maradona
-
Argentina 2 Peru 1: Palermo's injury-time winner rescues Maradona
Belly full: Argentina's head coach Diego Maradona dives onto the ground as he celebrates his team's late winner
Substitute Martin Palermo's close-range finish deep into injury time earned Argentina a thrilling last-gasp win over Peru in Buenos Aires just minutes after Diego Maradona's men looked to have suffered yet another World Cup qualifying setback.
Palermo, whom Maradona has recalled to the national team after a 10-year absence, tapped home at the far post in driving rain to send his coach diving across the sodden turf on his stomach in celebration.
Hernan Rengifo had headed an equaliser for Peru in the 90th minute to cancel out debutant Gonzalo Higuain's opener early in the second half.
The win moved Argentina up to fourth place in the South American qualifying table, a point ahead of Uruguay, whom they play on Wednesday, and two clear of Ecuador.
Maradona sprung a surprise with his team selection, leaving big-name strikers Carlos Tevez and Sergio Aguero on the bench and instead handing Higuain his first cap.
Argentina went into the match having lost their last three qualifiers to Paraguay, Brazil and Ecuador, but if ever there was a chance to restore some confidence in the side this was it - a home match against the team bottom of the group.
And they did everything but score in a first half they dominated from start to finish.
Super sub: Argentina's Martin Palermo celebrates after scoring the winner
Di Maria's cross from the left was then spilled by Butron but Peru survived and went into the break all square as their goal continued to live a charmed life.
Maradona turned to imposing striker Martin Palermo rather than Tevez or Aguero at half-time, but his side almost found themselves behind scarcely a minute into the second period.
Nolberto Solano's corner picked out Juan Vargas who crashed a first-time left-foot volley off the top of the crossbar from well outside the area.
It was Argentina, though, who took the lead in the 48th minute, Aimar stabbing a pass through into the right of the area, which Higuain ran on to and slotted into the far corner.
Peru had a penalty shout waved away in the 58th minute when Solano's shot appeared to be blocked by the arm of Emiliano Insua.
And Argentina looked to grow more nervous as the second half wore on, their chances drying up as torrential rain started to pour down.
The home side seemed prepared to hold out for the final whistle and were made to pay for not going for the jugular when they conceded in the final minute.
Moments after keeper Sergio Romero had made a superb point-blank save, Rengifo nodded home a cross from the left from barely two yards bring Peru level.
But just as Argentina's World Cup dreams looked to be slipping away, Palermo came up trumps for his under-fire boss.
With no fewer than eight Argentinian players in a packed Peru penalty area, the Boca Juniors striker found himself in the right place at the right time to convert the easiest of chances after a low ball across the box came all the way through to him.
There was more drama to come as Rainer Torres tried his luck straight from the kick-off, but his effort struck the bar and Argentina and Maradona claimed a vital win.