Soccer-Young keeper shines in long-awaited win for Bolivia

VALPARAISO, June 15 (Reuters) - The standout player of Bolivia's first Copa America win since 1997 was delighted to have finally secured three points for his country and said the victory is a huge help in making sure they reach the quarter-finals of this year's tournament. "Our objective was to finally win a Copa America match after so long," goalkeeper Romel Quinonez said of their 3-2 win over Ecuador in Valparaiso. "We haven't qualified but this is a big step forward we have taken and we're very happy." Bolivia lead the group on four points, with hosts Chile on three points before they play Mexico later on Monday. The central Americans have one point, while Ecuador have zero. Quinonez was just five when Bolivia last won a match in the Copa America, the year they hosted the tournament and were beaten 3-1 by Brazil in the final. He was outstanding in Monday's win in which Bolivia stormed to a 3-0 first half lead and then had their backs to the wall for most of the second half. With a fierce wind driving them on the Ecuadoreans repeatedly tried their luck with wind-assisted shots from far out. A Miler Bolanos strike sailed over Quinonez's head in the last 10 minutes and another from Christian Noboa crashed off the bar moments later but the 22-year old keeper did not panic and was surprisingly collected for his age. More experienced team-mates acknowledged they rode their luck in that fraught second period but highlighted the self-assurance exemplified by their keeper. "They attacked us a lot in the second half," said Marcelo Martins, scorer of Bolivia's third goal. "They could have drawn but we had the heart and the guts that Bolivia always has. "Ecuador are a good team but Bolivia showed we had that little bit more." (Writing by Andrew Downie, additional reporting by Javier Leira; Editing by Greg Stutchbury)