The Peruvian National Team is training ahead of its debut in the Copa América against Chile. A few days before the match, there are some uncertainties about the eleven that the white and red team will use against the team led by Ricardo Gareca. One of them is about the player who will occupy the interior position on the left. There are two alternatives: Piero Quispe (22 years old) or Joao Grimaldo (21 years old). Both had minutes in the bicolor’s last two international friendlies – against Paraguay and El Salvador – and Jorge Fossati has to make a final decision in the coming days. Depor spoke with journalists and coaches about this topic and opinions are divided.
Piero Quispe and the doubts his last game left
The Uruguayan coach knows ‘Pierito’ first-hand – they became League 1 champions with Universitario de Deportes in 2023 – and put him in three of the bicolor’s four friendlies in 2024. He stayed on the substitute bench in the Fossati’s debut against Nicaragua – 2-0 win -; However, he then played 60′ and scored a goal in the victory (4-1) over the Dominican Republic. Later, he started and played 73 minutes in the draw (0-0) with Paraguay and played 45 minutes in the victory (1-0) over El Salvador.
Piero Quispe’s talent is undeniable and he has demonstrated it in Pumas UNAM and in the white and red team, but he failed to stand out against the Paraguayans and Salvadorans and that has caused fans to begin to doubt his ownership. The ‘Selecta’ was a fairly weak opponent and the Peruvian National Team once again showed little clarity in the offensive zone. Of course, one of the most notable was the former ‘merengue’ player, who has the job of being the team organizer and making Christian Cueva forget.
The soccer player from the Mexican club was not precise when filtering the balls. Not only did he not manage to break lines, but he also did not have a good connection with the forwards, in this case Edison Flores and Gianluca Lapadula. He played 45′ and had 89% pass accuracy (24/27), but most were towards the middle or behind. Although the first idea was for him to be the starter in that position, his discreet performance has made Fossati try Joao Grimaldo and, so far, he has not clashed.
Piero Quispe numbers in Peru in 2024
Games playedMinutesGoalsAssists317810Piero Quispe will play his first Copa América with Peru. (Photo: Getty Images)
The daring and speed of Joao Grimaldo
Compared to Quispe, the Sporting Cristal player had fewer minutes in the red and white’s friendlies this year. He played 59′ in the win over Nicaragua and scored a goal; Then he was a substitute against the Dominican Republic and Paraguay; and finally he played 45 minutes against El Salvador. Although he has not been seen on the field for much time, what is clear is that he is a player who likes to dribble and apply speed to destabilize the opponent. His mischief, his individual plays, made many begin to ask him as a starter in the left interior position.
It is true that his natural position is winger, but Grimaldo showed that he is versatile in the offensive zone and not only was he quite involved in the midfielder, but he also managed to do his thing. For example, at 72′ into the game, he made a self-pass with his cue, left an opponent in the way and started the counterattack that did not end well. But that verticality is something that the red and white team needs against the next rivals, who will be quite tough – we are in Group A with Argentina, Chile and Canada.
Against El Salvador, Joao won 3/5 dribbles, won 4 one-on-one and won 5 offensive duels. Likewise, he missed 5 of 24 passes. So far, the starter for Jorge Fossati is Piero Quispe. She has great trust in him because of everything they have experienced together. However, Grimaldo is a great option and, at the moment, he could be more decisive than the Pumas UNAM player on the field. Both are young and will compete in their first edition of the Copa América. And we hope that both of them can do good performances.
Joao Grimaldo numbers in Peru in 2024
Games playedMinutesGoalsAssists210410Joao Grimaldo will play his first Copa América with Peru. (Photo: Getty Images)
Who should start against Chile in the Copa América?
For coach Juan José Oré, the Rimense player should be given an opportunity. “Piero Quispe had the best chance of playing in that position. Now he has not performed well and that has been left pending. Grimaldo came in and did quite well, because he is a daring player, like Quispe, but faster and more skilled. I think that because of what Grimaldo did, he should be given the opportunity. Grimaldo plays more as a winger, but he has quality and can play in the middle just as well. Unless Quispe continues to be given the opportunity and breaks it, but it cost him against El Salvador because he did not show much football. Grimaldo should start, because of his dribbling and daring,” he noted.
Sports journalist Eddie Fleischman favored Grimaldo rather than Quispe. “Quispe’s play in the friendlies has not convinced me. On the other hand, I believe that Grimaldo has more verticality and can generate more in the attack. Grimaldo brings imbalance forward, more power and change of pace. He steps into the area, he hits it from outside, he has more goals than Quispe,” he said.
Pamela Ríos, a journalist from Latina, hopes that Grimaldo will start in the debut in the Copa América. “I think that Joao Grimaldo should start against Chile. Because? Piero Quispe had a very discreet – even bad – game against El Salvador in which the statistics show that in the first half alone he lost eight balls. Meanwhile, on this date FIFA showed that his current physical condition is not the best, even more so when he has to represent the Peruvian team against teams from the continent, as happened against Paraguay, where he was surpassed by Rojas and Almirón, making it difficult for him to pass. the 3/4 of the court. Grimaldo, when it was his turn to enter, has given the team speed, he has correct crosses and he already started against Nicaragua, where he even scored. In addition, he has a filtered pass, which is what the team lacks for the generation of plays,” he commented.
Pablo Ocaña, journalist from Latina, said the following: “I would like to see Joao Grimaldo at the start of the Copa América. Grimaldo, against El Salvador, the most accessible rival, entered and had two important aspects. First, he gave Peru something that has not been seen in recent games, which has to do with daring and seeking individual duel, constantly stepping on the rival area. And the other aspect, beyond being a different position for him – we normally see it as extreme -, from the inside he adapted. It’s not the first time he’s done it. In the first game he stepped into the rival area, he converted. On this occasion I feel that he was the best of Peru in the second half. And considering the characteristics of the midfield, one would understand that (Sergio) Peña would be the inside on the right and would handle the ball for Peru. On the other hand, I would like to see a more explosive player. Piero Quispe is an interesting player and has Fossati’s trust, but in the last two games he failed to be Peru’s driver with the ball. He did not give a different touch to the preparation to reach the rival goal. That’s why I’m leaning towards Grimaldo.”
Sports journalist Ángel Flores, for his part, assured that Piero deserves an opportunity in Peru’s debut in the Copa América. “Against Chile, for me, Piero Quispe should start. Recess, friendly matches and tests before the start of the Copa América are over. It is time for Quispe to shake off his poor performance and be the man who pulls the team’s strings. He has talent, ability too, he needs to dare, believe it and if that happens he will be able to make his game attractive, break lines and always look at the opposing goal. Don’t let the ball ‘burn’ you. He has to be the different one from the team,” he noted.
At what time and where to see Peru vs. Chile for Copa América?
Peru vs. Chile will face each other this Friday, June 21, for the first date of Group A of the Copa América in the United States. The match is scheduled to be played at the AT&T Stadium from 7:00 p.m., during the time in Peru, Ecuador and Colombia. In countries like Chile, Venezuela and Bolivia it will start at 8:00 pm; while in Argentina, Uruguay and Brazil at 9:00 pm
The signal that will be in charge of transmitting the ‘Pacific Classic’ is DIRECTV, which has all the television rights to broadcast the Copa América 2024 in Latin America. However, in Peru, this match and all those of the Peruvian National Team can also be seen on América TV. Regarding Chile, this clash will be available on Chilevisión. Remember that at Depor we bring you the minute by minute and the incidents.
Follow the Depor channel on WhatsAppwhere you will find all the keys to the sport of the day.
IT MAY INTEREST YOU
2024-06-19 04:15:54
#Piero #Quispe #Joao #Grimaldo #voices #give #opinion #start #Chile #Copa #América #FOOTBALLPERUVIAN
