Football: Player for Peru's U-20 team accused of being Ecuadorean
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Ecuador's Junior Somoza (left), fights for the ball with Peru's Max Barrios during an U-20 South American soccer championship match in San Juan, Argentina on Wednesday, Jan 16, 2013. Barrios has left the event after being accused of playing under a false identity. -- PHOTO: AP
BUENOS AIRES (AP) - A player on Peru's team at the South American under-20 championship has left the event after being accused of playing under a false identity.
The Ecuadorean Football Association said that the Peru player identified as Max Barrios was actually an Ecuadorean named Juan Espinosa.
Ecuador association spokesman Victor Mestanza said Conmebol, the governing body of South American football, had been asked to investigate the case.
The tournament in Argentina ends Feb 3 with four teams advancing to the Under-20 World Cup later this year in Turkey. South American powers Brazil and Argentina have been eliminated. Peru and Ecuador are still in contention.
