The Peruvian soccer team will receive the Paraguayan team on Tuesday, on the last date of the South American World Cup Qualifiers, with the aim of adding three points that will allow it to maintain fifth place and, in this way, play the playoff with a representative from Asia.
The team led by Argentine Ricardo Gareca hopes to repeat at the National Stadium in Lima the campaign that allowed him to participate under his baton in the 2018 World Cup in Russia, after an absence of 36 years.
Even with the disappointment of the defeat, on Thursday against Uruguay, which has led to a claim by the Peruvian Football Federation (FPF) against the Brazilian referee Anderson Daronco for not having validated a goal that would have tied Peru, the Blanquirroja team is preparing the last playoff game at home.
In fifth place in the general classification, Peru needs to beat Paraguay, eliminated from the World Cup event, to go directly to the playoffs, which could qualify Qatar. If those led by ‘el Tigre’ Gareca draw with the Paraguayans, they will have to continue hoping that Colombia will not beat Venezuela, or that Chile will not beat Uruguay either, to maintain the option of qualifying.
If the team led by the Argentine Guillermo Barros Schelotto wins Peru, the Inca team will have to put their hopes that their competitors will also be defeated by Venezuela and Uruguay, respectively.
In the last training sessions in Lima, Gareca has tried some formulas to replace André Carrillo, right winger of Al Hilal SaudÍ who was called off due to injury. The most possible bet for him seems to be Edison Flores, a midfielder for the American DC United. The strategist has also tested Jhilmar Lora in the position of Boca Juniors winger Luis Advíncula, who was reserved for tactical work over the weekend.
In turn, Paraguay reaches the last match after beating Ecuador 3-1, although in their visits to Lima they maintain a scoreless draw in 2007 between five defeats on Peruvian soil. The Guarani eleven intends to add another victory to make up for their disappointing campaign and Barros Schelotto has declared himself proud of having had the freedom to choose who he considers “the best to be in the national team”, as he said in a press conference.
The match in Lima is being prepared in a party atmosphere, with the expectation of maintaining fifth place to play the play-off that can take the Blanquirroja to the World Cup.
Likely lineups:
Peru: Pedro Gallese; Luis Advíncula, Carlos Zambrano, Alexander Callens, Miguel Trauco; Renato Tapia, Sergio Peña, Yoshimar Yotún; Edison Flores, Christian Cueva and Gianluca Lapadula. Coach: Ricardo Gareca
Paraguay: Antony Silva; Robert Rojas, Junior Alonso, Omar Alderete, Fabián Balbuena; Richard Sanchez, Oscar Romero, Andres Cubas; Richard Ortiz, Angel Romero and Julio Enciso. Coach: Guillermo Barros Schelotto
Referee: Argentine Fernando Rapallini.
Time: 18.30 local
Venue: National Stadium
EFE
