One week before the match against the Peruvian National Team in Montevideo, the coach diego alonso unveiled the squad list for the Uruguayan National Team, which is still fighting its qualification for the World Cup. This relationship consists of 27 soccer players who will start training from Monday, March 21 with the aim of getting the six points against the bicolor and the Chilean National Team, and thus achieve direct pass to Qatar 2022.
For this mission, the ‘charrúas’ do not save anything. historical as Luis Suarez, Edinson Cavani, Fernando Muslera and Diego Godin were called and will be in charge of leading the new talents as Ronald Araujo, Rodrigo Bentancur, Federico Valverde, Darwin Nunezamong others, who have earned a place in the starting team.
But what do they need to qualify or at least reach the playoffs? The ‘Celeste’ is in fourth position with 22 units, which means that for now it is in the direct classification zone. However, the bicolor is only fifth with one point less (21) and its next rival, Chile, is sixth with 19 units. They are bound to win.
Now the big question is whether your team will be enough to achieve the goal. In the front, surely, they will start Luis Suarez and Edinson Cavanialthough his little continuity in his clubs –Atletico Madrid and Man Utd, respectively- calls them into question. This yes, before the probable exit of the ’11’ of any of them, the first replacement will be Darwin Nunezthe young 22-year-old striker who qualified Benfica for the quarterfinals of Champions League.
The flyer, surely, will be the same as the last date: Pellistri, Betancourt, Valverde and De Arrascaeta. While the bow will protect him Serge Rochet. But what about defense? Here there are doubts. Jose Maria Gimenez He was called up, but he comes from overcoming a soleus injury. Meanwhile, Diego Godín has barely played three games this season with the Atletico Mineiro. Ronald Araujo arrives well, but Mathias Olivera You will have to watch out for a new yellow card.
This scenario could bring negative consequences to the ‘charrúas’ considering that it is one of the teams with the most goals against (22) in the current qualifying process. Next, we will analyze the present of the Uruguayan last line, as well as the performances against the white and red of Diego Godinone of the greatest referents of the celestial and the leader in the background.
Selection | Goals against |
---|---|
bolivia | 35 |
Venezuela | 30 |
Paraguay | 23 |
Uruguay | 22 |
Peru | twenty-one |
Chile | twenty |
Colombia | 19 |
Ecuador | fifteen |
Argentina | 7 |
Brazil | 5 |
Solid defense?
Historically, Uruguay is a team that has been characterized by being solid in defense. Not only in the last line, but throughout the system, where from their forwards to the goalkeeper they played in favor of keeping their goal at zero. However, in recent months under the leadership of Professor Oscar Tabarez this ability was lost.
In these Qualifiers, Uruguay was thrashed 3-0 against Bolivia, 4-1 by Brazil and 3-0 against Argentina, among its worst results, also being the last before the ‘charrúa’ strategist left office, after 16 years in command of the ‘Celeste’.
However, with the arrival of diego alonso to the bench, again, you begin to appreciate the solid Uruguay in the last line. In fact, in the two games that he has led, against Venezuela and Paraguay, he has barely received a goal from the ‘Vinotinto’ team. And although it seems very hasty to talk about a profound change, the truth is that there has been an improvement that could benefit the Uruguayan team, in case the results do not accompany them and they have to define their classification by goal difference.
As for the chosen ones, Alonso He has repeated his defensive line in the last double date, so those in charge of defending his goal against Peru and Chile should be Araújo, Godín, Giménez and Olivera. The striking thing about this system is that he uses the Barcelona footballer as a right back, contrary to the central position in which he has developed throughout his career and in which he currently plays in LaLiga Santander.
However, it is precisely this change that allows the strategist to have one more variant in the attack, Mathías Olivera, who plays looser and can reach the midfield, step on the rival field and generate dangerous plays. In addition, it allows him to defend with a line of three, which in the case of Peru will allow him to counteract a Gianluca Lapadula unrestrained and skilled at getting around the defense.
Soccer player | club/country | Matches | Minutes |
---|---|---|---|
Diego Godin | Atletico Mineiro, BRA | 3 | 224′ |
Jose Maria Gimenez | Atletico Madrid ESP | 9 | 669′ |
Sebastian Coates | Sporting, BY | 7 | 630′ |
Ronald Araujo | Barcelona, Spain | 5 | 406′ |
Martin Caceres | Levante, ESP | 7 | 522′ |
Leandro Cabrera | Spanish, ESP | 6 | 540′ |
Damian Suarez | Getafe, Spain | 6 | 485′ |
Matias Vina | Inter Milan, ITA | 6 | 338′ |
Mathias Olivera | Getafe, Spain | 5 | 420′ |
Regarding the continuity of their footballers, they all arrive with minutes in their clubs, since the last call. And although José María Giménez was in doubt all week due to injury, he finally played the entire match for Atlético de Madrid against Manchester United in the Champions League. Diego Godín is the one who has played the least, but his experience and leadership place him firmly in the starting ’11’. Of course, this time he hopes that luck, too, is with him.
Godín: the leader who suffers against Peru
More than four years have passed since that indelible episode where Paolo Guerrero and Diego Godín met in the north arch of the National Stadium. The ‘charrúa’ tried to control the ‘Predator’ that ended up eating the area and, with the defender on the ground, defined as only he knows how to do it. It was the equalizing goal. Then, hopes grew, history changed and finally the Peruvian National Team ended up winning 2-1.
This was one of Godín’s sad memories against Peru, of the several he has had throughout his career, such as in 2012, when the Uruguayan defender scored an own goal, after a cross from Yoshimar Yotún. The center-back tried to clear with a header, but ended up putting the ball into his goal. In the most recent past of the Ricardo Gareca era, Godín has played against the bicolor five times, with a balance of two defeats, two draws and only one victory.
Match | Tournament | Date | Minutes |
---|---|---|---|
Peru 2-1 Uruguay | Qualifying Russia 2018 | 03/29/2017 | 90′ |
Uruguay 4-5 Peru | America’s Cup 2019 | 06/20/2019 | 90′ |
Uruguay 1-0 Peru | Friendly | 10/12/2019 | 90′ |
Peru 1-1 Uruguay | Friendly | 10/16/2019 | 90′ |
Peru 1-1 Uruguay | Qatar 2022 Qualifying | 09/03/2021 | 90′ |
In the last match (2021) that he played against the red and white team, he was again surpassed by Paolo Guerrero in heads-up play and defeated by Renato Tapia, after a poor clearance, in the only goal of the match for Peru. Of course, despite all this, his ownership is assured on this double date. He is the team captain. They need it.
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A point to take into account: this is how Uruguay’s defense arrives at the decisive duel against Peru