CONMEBOL World Cup Qualifiers: Paraguay vs Argentina preview

Paraguay vs Argentina
Defensores del Chaco, Asunción
07 October 2021; 20:00 local time (19:00 EST//00:00 BST)
CONMEBOL World Cup Qualifier

The albirroja resume their oldest international rivalry by welcoming the albiceleste to the Defensores del Chaco, which will be at 50% capacity, for the first time in almost six years. The reigning Copa América champions have won just one qualifier in Paraguay since the turn of the century and that was against a depleted team and interim coach, the late Víctor Genes. Eduardo Berizzo has some key players back but is also missing some important components to his side as he starts this triple header at home. 

The recent trend against “bigger” teams has been to play with a flexible 4-1-4-1 that can become a back five when Santiago Arzamendia becomes a wing back and the left back (Alderete or Alonso) slots into their more natural central defender role. This backfired against Ecuador where they became too negative and the striker, on that occassion Luis Amarilla was too isolated. However the two banks of four are a good way to protect the Albirroja down the flanks against the likes of Lionel Messi and Ángel di María so we could see this option used again. With Miguel Almirón authorized to travel this time around we can expect to see the Newcastle man straight in the starting XI and his alertness on the counter attack will be vital just as it was in Buenos Aires when these sides met last November. His return coincides with the good form of Alejandro “Kaku” Romero who started the last two home games scoring against Venezuela. That pair have only started together twice, coincidentally against Argentina in the 2021 Copa América (0-1 defeat) and a 3-1 win over Bolivia in the same tournament. If Berizzo was to plump for Arzamendia as a left midfielder it would likely leave Kaku out in the cold with Ángel Romero playing on the right and Almirón accompanying a fellow “presser” like Mathías Villasanti or Hugo Martínez in the middle. 

Argentina come to the Defensores unbeaten in over two years and haven’t lost a WCQ at sea level since Tite pulled apart Pato Bauza’s side in November 2016. Messi had been under pressure having not scored from open play in this edition of the WCQs but responded with a hattrick against Bolivia in the last game. Interestingly the pulga has never managed a non-penalty goal against Paraguay in Asunción having scored two spot kicks in the 5-2 destruction in 2013, the albiceleste’s only victory this century. To learn more about Thursday’s rival check out our Guaraní Vision podcast!

Given the expectant crowd, the guaraní have only lost one of their five home qualifiers to date (against Brazil) and the return of Miguel Almirón there will be a feeling that Paraguay can take something from this match. Only Peru have failed to score at home against Scaloni’s side so far so the real question for Paraguay is if their own defence can hold, something they’ve yet to do at the Defensores. 

Paraguay XI (Possible): Antony Silva; Robert Rojas, Gustavo Gómez, Junior Alonso, Omar Alderete; Jorge Morel; Ángel Romero, Mathias Villasanti, Miguel Almirón, Santiago Arzamendia; Tonny Sanabria

Argentina XI (Possible): Emiliano Martínez; José Montiel, Cristian Romero, Nicolas Otamendi, Marcos Acuña; Ángel Di María, Rodrigo De Paul, Leandro Paredes, Giovani Lo Celso; Lionel Messi, Lautaro Martínez

Prediction: 1-1

======================================

STATS AND TRIVIA

Paraguay have only failed to score in four of their last 19 home WCQs dating back to 2012, 

Paraguay vs Argentina head-to-head (World Cup Qualifiers)

Pld 19 W 3 D 10 L 6 GF 16 GA 26

Paraguay’s only cleansheet in the last 14 home qualifiers was against Argentina (0-0 draw in 2015)

Paraguay vs Argentina head-to-head in Asunción

Pld 9 W 2 D 4 L 3 GF 9 GA 13

Parguay are unbeaten in their last three qualifiers agains the “old enemy”, their best run of this kind was six games between 2000 and 2009. 

 

 

By Ralph Hannah

Paraguay continue to drop points at home

Paraguay 1-1 Colombia
WCQ, Matchday 8
Defensores del Chaco, Asunción, Paraguay
05/09/2021

A disappointing draw in which Paraguay dropped points at home from a winning position for the third time in four qualifiers has left them with a rather large sand dune to climb if they want to reach Qatar. It was a match in which Colombia dominated for large stretches but was also scrappy, with the Albirroja committing more fouls than the home duels against Bolivia and Peru. Eduardo Berizzo is now overseeing the lowest point in Paraguayan World Cup Qualifying history with six straight games without a win.

Photo: Prensa Selección Paraguaya de Fútbol

Eduardo Berizzo had made seven changes from the game against Ecuador in Quito, some was due to returns from suspension and injury but there was a slight tactical shift too. They went with a more traditional 4-3-3 and rather than a target man like Luis Amarilla in came Torino’s Antonio Sanabria. Gustavo Gómez and Omar Alderete returned from supsension straight into the cetnral defence.

In the early exchanges it was clear that Jorge Morel would play further back while Mathías Villasanti and Gastón Giménez rotated to drop back and try and receive the ball. But other than Alejandro “Kaku” Romero trying to make progressive passes there was little activity in the final third. It was Colombia that began to pull the strings, Juan Cuadrado was causing problems everyhere – even popping up occasionally on the left hand side. From there he played a good ball into the box that Uribe connected with only to be snuffed out by Jorge Morel. The penalty shout from the visitors was waved away on 24 minutes. Shortly afterwards Cuadrado forced a good save from Silva, shooting from distance in the middle of the pitch and on the 28th minute he had won a foul off Morel as he surged on the right.

Sanabria celebrated his second goal for the Albirroja, Photo: Prensa Selección Paraguaya de Fútbol

Miguel Borja was testing Alderete in the channels, he had burst through on 30 minutes – set away from the excellent Wilmar Barrios – but was adjugded offisde. After 35 minutes the Gremio striker had hit the post, this time he dropped back off the last man to receive the ball back to goal and had time to turn and shoot. It was therefore somewhat of a surprise when the Albirroja took the lead through Antonio Sanabria on 40 minutes.

Ángel Romero found some space in the channel for the first time and lined up Davison Sánchez, nutmegging the Tottenham defender to drive a low cross towards the near post where Sanabria was lurking. The 25-year-old forward had only scored once before, also in a WCQ against Colombia. It marked the first time in these qualifiers that Paraguay had been winning at halftime.

In many ways the second half continued in the same vein as before, Colombia were happy to let Paraguay have the ball but had the penetration to create chances and pressurize. Gustavo Gómez picked up a yellow early into the half, Antony Silva missed a cross and then disaster struck as Arzamendia handled a cross. A lengthy VAR review confirmed the infraction and Juan Cuadrado made no mistake from the penalty spot.

The home side would hardly have chances of note, one arrived in the 66th minute Ángel Romero did well to control a lofted Kaku pass but shot just wide. In soppage time Mathías Villasanti beat his man on the edge of the box and fired a shot on target, but it was saved by David Opsina. The latter being the only shot on target in the second period. In stoppage time substitute Héctor Martínez shot just wide after combining with another replacement Braian Samudio.

But the winning goal didn’t come, just as it hasn’t done in Asunción since March 2017. This dismal home record is likely to cost them a ticket to Qatar.

Paraguay defeated at the death to Ecuador

Ecuador 2-0 Paraguay
WCQ, Matchday 7
Casablanca, Quito, Ecuador
02/09/2021

Paraguay defended spiritedly in the clouds for much of the game but fly back to Asunción empty-handed after Alfaro’s artillery finally penetrated the guaraní guard three minutes from time. While it was the hosts first shot on target there was a sense of inevitability as the Tri consistently overloaded in wide areas and the purposeful runs of second half substitute Gonzalo Plata had thrown the visitors off balance. The result ends Paraguay’s historic run of five straight away World Cup Qualifiers unbeaten, and it means it will be all to play for in the forthcoming fixtures against Colombia and Venezuela in the Defensores del Chaco.

Photo: Twitter @OptaJavier

Eduardo Berizzo had made six changes from the last qualifier, a 2-0 reverse to Brazil at home, some were forced upon him with Gustavo Gómez and Omar Alderete suspended and Miguel Almirón unauthorized to travel from Newcastle. Others were tactical with Jorge Morel preferred to Mathías Villasanti as the disrupter in the middle and youngster Hugo Martínez was handed a debut alongside Richard Sánchez. Up front the options were limited too with both Gabriel Ávalos and Charly González injured, so Liga de Quito forward Luis Amarilla made his first appearance for the senior side at his new home. The 4-1-4-1 system was clear with Amarilla given the thankless task of trying to win headers and run into channels at altitude while Arzamendia and Ángel Romero needed to try and support the full backs without the ball.

Immediately they were hit by injury, Beto Espínola went down after just a minute and by the fifth minute the attacking right back had to be replaced by the more conservative Robert Rojas. The River Plate man was being targeted by Pervis Estupiñán and Joao Rojas who often found overloads there. After 12 minutes the Villarreal man had won his team’s first corner of the game running at Robert Rojas, on 22 minutes he got in behind his man and after 33 minutes Fabián Balbuena had been drawn into that area to try and help out only to committ a foul.

The extra man was being made by Gustavo Alfaro’s men playing out from the back with their three centrebacks and either Félix Torres or Luis Fernando León were pulling wide to make Amarilla’s pressing attempts futile and Huguito Martínez and Sánchez found themselves too far back to close space effectively. This was allowing the home team to create those overlaps on the wings or switch play with ease. Despite dominating possession (67% in that first half) they couldn’t generate any shots on target.

Hugo Martínez debuted with the senior side, Photo: Prensa Selección Paraguaya de Fútbol

In the second half they began to stem that issue with Sánchez playing slightly further forward and pressing the central defenders more effectively. That said just moments into the half Joao Rojas burst down the left and crossed to Enner Valencia who should have scored, the former West Ham man was inches away from becoming outright all-time topscorer but turned the shot wide of the post.

Ángel Romero found himself in the channels more which began to give Paraguay a bit of a foothold and both Sánchez and Martínez found themselves with more time and space than they had before. But the local’s Argentinian coach had spotted this turn in the tide and made the first tactical subsitutions of the game which made all the difference. On 59 minutes he brought on Gonzalo Plata and an extra man in midfield by brinign on LAFC’s José Cifuentes for Seattle Sounders’ defender Xavier Arreaga. Berizzo responded with personnel changes but no tactical shift which proved to be a mistake.

Nottingham Forest new boy Braian Ojeda was on for Martínez in the middle and his energy helped to keep Plata at bay for a while but the full steam approach wasn’t going to work at altitude. On 67 minutes the Ecuadorean youngster got the better of him and Junior Alonso was booked for the resulting foul needed to stop the Sporting CP man. Plata kept exploiting space and had been joined by Washington Corozo another player with pace and tricky feet.

Ecuador’s urgency was clear, but still they couldn’t generate a shot on target, maybe the Albirroja were going to get their fifth draw in seven games in these WCQs. Santiago Arzamendia had struggled during the game, neither getting forward with purpose nor looking composed in defence but when he was subbed off for injury in the 85th minute it coincided with tragedy as time ticked away.

The first goal came from the left hand side, yet another overlap for Ecuador and Pervis Estuipiñán found himself in space to deliver a looping cross to the back post. Héctor Martínez had been relatively solid in the air throughout the game but was beaten easily at the back post by Félix Torres. The central defender had bombed forward knowing Paraguay offered little danger on the attack and headed home. Moments later the lead was doubled, this time on the home team’s right side as Michael Estrada ran at a tired defence slicing through them like freshly cooked mandioca to slot past Antony Silva.

Another defeat where Paraguay started with a sensible gameplan, looked good in patches, but ultimately failed to adapt to changes in tactics and tempo. Tic Tac Toto Berizzo.

CONMEBOL World Cup Qualifiers: Paraguay vs Brazil preview

Paraguay vs Brazil
Defensores del Chaco, Asunción
08/06/2013; 20:30 local time (01:30 BST)
CONMEBOL World Cup Qualifier

An 81st meeting between Paraguay and Brazil, with the Albirroja looking to protect a proud 35-year unbeaten record against the Verde-Amarela in the Defensores del Chaco. They also have a recent run of six games unbeaten that has seen comparisons to the old garra guaraní that has characterized Paraguayan football as being those tenacious underdogs, difficult to defeat. 

Eduardo Berizzo has previously stuck rigidly to his 4-3-3 for most of the qualifiers, but while dominating possession against “lesser” opponents such as Bolivia, Venezuela and Peru he has ceded the ball to both Argentina and Uruguay. Against Brazil the thought is he could employ 5 at the back to allow for some attacking options from the full backs without being totally exposed.  It could mean starts for the Cerro Porteño pair of Beto Espínola & Santiago Arzameida who can be deployed as wingbacks. The midfield three of Giménez, Villasanti and Lucena has offered the most positional stability albeit at the expense of some creativity – with a back five in place he could be tempted to field the more offensive Richard Sánchez. The main doubt will be up front, against Uruguay Almirón accompanied the Romero twins which gave them mobility but didn’t make many inroads into a deep-lying Celeste defence. It could make sense to deploy a more physical player that can hold up play with his back to goal and bring in the Newcastle and San Lorenzo stars. Gabriel Ávalos got game time in Montevideo and we could see him again in the later stages of the game.

Brazil arrive in Asunción in what could possibly be Tite’s last game as coach despite an envious record of a 74% win rate and almost +100 goal difference. It relates to off-the-field arguments betwen the players and CBF (Brazilian FA) regarding Brazil being used as emergency Copa América host. The players will certainly be fully committed to this game, Casemiro the captain has also said they will make a formal announcement about the Copa América after the game to not lose focus. Casemiro was immense in the win over Ecuador and could be a key man again in Asunción, he controls the pace of the game and Paraguay will need to avoid becoming hypnotized by the slow possession to start before they switch gears and up the tempo. Neymar is of course the danger man and you would assume Gabriel Jesús has earned a starting spot with his performance off the bench, both goals came after his introduction for the misfiring Gabriel Barbosa (Gabigol). 

Paraguay XI (Possible): Antony Silva; Beto Espínola, Gustavo Gómez, Omar Alderete, Junior Alonso, Santiago Arzamendia; Ángel Lucena, Mathias Villasanti, Richard Sánchez; Miguel Almirón; Ángel Romero

Brazil XI (Possible): Alisson; Danilo, Éder Militão, Marquinhos, Alex Sandro; Lucas Paquetá, Casemiro, Fred; Richarlison, Gabriel Jesús, Neymar

Prediction: 1-1

======================================

STATS AND TRIVIA

Brazil haven’t won a world cup qualifier in Paraguay since 16 June 1985, a 2-0 win with Zico and Valter Casagrande scoring.

Paraguay vs Brazil head-to-head (World Cup Qualifiers)

Pld 16 W 2 D 4 L 10 GF 11 GA 28

Should Neymar start it will be his first game in Paraguay for the Brazilian National Team, his last match in the country was a 3-3 draw in 2011 Copa Libertadores semi-final 2nd leg as Santos advanced past Cerro Porteño.

Paraguay vs Brazil head-to-head in Asunción

Pld 20 W 4 D 5 L 11 GF 19 GA 35

Eighteen different players have scored the 19 home goals against Brazil, only Cecilio Martínez (Guaraní) scored twice in a 1963 friendly draw. 

 

 

By Ralph Hannah

CONMEBOL WCQs: Paraguay’s history in Uruguay

Paraguay travel to Montevideo for the vital World Cup Qualifier on Thursday looking to win in the Uruguayan capital for the first time in over 20 years. This will be the Albirroja’s 51st game there almost 100 years since the first meeting in November 1921, a 4-2 friendly loss against the Celeste. It will be Paraguay’s 30th game against Uruguay in the capital and have previously won seven encounters. Here we look back chronologically at the seven WCQs played between these sides.

1957 Uruguay 2-0 Paraguay

The first meeting was the final game of the 1958 qualifiers with the Albirroja arriving in high spirits having thrashed their opponents 5-0 just two weeks previously in Asunción. Florencio Amarilla, then still based locally at Nacional, netted a hattrick which is something that wouldn’t be repeated in WCQs until José “Pepe” Cardozo did the same against Uruguay but also in Asunción in 2003. With Aureliano González’s side already qualified for the World Cup in Sweden it might not be a surprise that their only loss of the campaign was this one, Eladio Benítez scored early on for the home side before William Martínez put some shine on the result with an 89th minute goal.

1996 Uruguay 0-2 Paraguay

The two sides successfully avoided each other in qualifying campaigns until the introduction of the current round-robin format ahead of the 1998 World Cup in France. The Albirroja came into the game on June 2nd having lost their home opener in April to Colombia, meanwhile the Charrua’s had picked up a routine win away to Venezuela. But this match was very a coming-of-age for the graduates from the much celebrated 1992 Olympic team. Carlos Gamarra, Celso Ayala and Francisco Arce had all been in that defence and kept a cleansheet here, marshalled by the legendary José Luis Chilavert in goal. It was Arce who started the scoring with a wonderful freekick after just 10 minutes to settle the nerves. As Uruguay kept searching for an equalizer, coming close when captain Bengoechea struck the foot of the post with a dipping volley, they left space in behind. Paraguay capitalized in the dying minutes with substitute Arístides Rojas rounding off a 3 vs 2 counter attack.

2001 Uruguay 0-1 Paraguay

This was the 11th game of the 2002 qualifiers but the first that year (2001) as Paraguay hoped to continue their excellent WCQ form which had seen them stay unbeaten for the previous six matches including a win over Brazil and draws away to Argentina & Bolivia in La Paz. The hosts dominated with Chilavert having to pull off a string of important saves, but it was a goalkeeping error the other end that handed the victory to the visitors. Paolo Montero’s backpass to Fabián Carini was miscued by the stopper and José “Pepe” Cardozo had time and space to pick out Cerro Porteño’s Guido Alvarenga for his first ever goal for the Guaranies.

2004 Uruguay 1-0 Paraguay

Another typically tense game between these sides as had become, and Uruguay came out on top just as they had done in the Copa América encounter just a few months before in Peru. The Albirroja played a defensive style in these qualifiers under Aníbal Ruiz and managed to frustrate their old rivals for most of the game. But Juventus’ central defender Paolo Montero steamed in at the back post to head home from a corner, Caniza and Paredes couldn’t keep him out.

2009 Uruguay 2-0 Paraguay

Five years later and both sides were much changed for this contest, ushering in exciting new generations of players. Uruguay had formed the Suárez and Forlán partnership and the pair combined for the opening goal, the Pistolero latching onto a long diagonal pass and wrong-footing Paulo Da Silva to feed Forlán. The then Toluca-based centre-back was found wanting again late into the second half as the captain Diego Lugano outjumped him at the far post heading in a freekick.

2013 Uruguay 1-1 Paraguay

On reflection it is surprising to think that the Albirroja’s only point earned in the last 20 years in Montevideo was during their catastrophic campaign when they finished bottom of the World Cup Qualifying table. Once again it was Luis Suárez causing problems, he eventually opened the scoring with a stunning volley from Nicolas Lodeiro’s cross. It looked like the Albirroja would come away with nothing yet again but they were rescued by the substitute Edgar “Pajaro” Benítez. Godín and Lugano had both attacked a hopeful punt with the latter inadvertantly flicking the ball on for a grateful Benítez.

2016 Uruguay 4-0 Paraguay

The memory of the most recent meeting between these two sides is a harrowing one for the fans of the red and white, their heaviest ever defeat in WCQs equalling the loss by the same scoreline against Colombia in 2001. Once again Luis Suárez was a nightmare, he had two assists and won a penalty which he converted himself. The plaudits also went to his new partner Edinson Cavani, the matador scored twice and would finish topscorer in the qualifiers.

Only three players survive that defeat, the Romero twins Óscar and Ángel who started in the rain that day and Miguel Almirón who came on as a sub. Let’s hope that this new generation can reverse two difficult decades in the Uruguayan capital.

World Cup Qualifiers: Paraguay win in traditional style

Paraguay vs Peru
Estadio Defensores del Chaco
(0-0) 1-0 – Pablo Aguilar

I didn’t watch the game so am working on third-party information and the brief highlights I’ve seen, but effectively this was the Paraguay everybody wanted. Now that the fans have accepted this side is not capable of outplaying teams they just need to out-garra them, especially at home. The result represented Gerardo Pelusso’s first win as Paraguay manager and ended a run of five straight qualifying defeats. The winning goal came from the head of Pablo Aguilar, the former Luque defender has been dangerous from set pieces with his club side, Tijuana, and carried that threat into the national team.

The famous phrase is ‘Centro, Cabeza, Gol’ (Cross, header, goal) but in this case it was more ‘Cross, header, RELIEF’ as Paraguay broke the deadlock and then held firm. A gritty, determined win that, thanks to the other results last night, has kept Paraguayan qualifying hopes alive. With Uruguay and Chile both in Baumgartner-style freefall the picture could be much rosier come June 2013.

Pablo Aguilar celebrates goal – Photo: D10.com.py

Paraguay XI: Diego Barreto; Iván Piris, Paulo Da Silva, Pablo Aguilar, Miguel Samudio; Fidencio Oviedo, Julio Dos Santos, Cristian Riveros, Édgar Benítez; Nelson Haedo, José Ariel Núñez

Subs: Luis Caballero for Nelson Haedo, Víctor Cáceres for José Ariel Nuñez, Jonathan Fabbro for Edgar Benítez

By Ralph Hannah

World Cup Qualifiers: Colombia vs Paraguay Stat Pack

As with all the World Cup Qualifiers before the preview we give you some stats and head-to-heads between Paraguay and their opponent, in this case Colombia. As you can see it isn’t great reading for the albirroja who also boast the worst Goals per Game average and have conceded more than anybody else in the qualifiers to date.

Form Guide

Paraguay last 5 games

Pld 5 W 1 D 1 L 3 GF  6 GA 11

Paraguay last 5 away games (neutral venue not included)

Paraguay training in Ypané – Photo: Prensa Selección Paraguaya de Fútbol

Pld 5 W 1 D 0 L 4 GF 5 GA 11

Paraguay last 5 World Cup Qualifiers

Pld 5 W 1 D 0 L 5 GF  4 GA 11

Paraguay last 5 away World Cup Qualifiers

Pld 5 W 1 D 0 L 4 GF 4 GA 11

Head-to-Head

Paraguay vs Colombia Overall

Pld 39 W 17 D 7 L 15 GF 47 GA 45

Paraguay vs Colombia World Cup Qualifiers

Pld 20 W 10 D 4 L 6 GF 25 GA 20

Paraguay vs Colombia World Cup Qualifiers in Barranquilla

Pld 4 W 0 D 2 L 2 GF 2 GA 4

Scoring

Paraguay results having scored the first goal (since June 2010)

Pld 18 W 15 D 3 L 0 – the last time Paraguay scored first and lost was WCQ away to Brazil in 2009

Paraguay results  having conceded the first goal (since June 2010)

Pld 15 W 0 D 3 L 12 – the last time Paraguay conceded first and won was WCQ at home to Uruguay in 2003

Paraguay’s goal scorers in World Cup Qualifiers since 2007

Salvador Cabañas x 6

Nelson Haedo Valdez x 5

Crisitian Riveros x 5

Roque Santa Cruz x 3

Oscar Cardozo x 2

Nelson Haedo will be hoping to find the net – Photo: Prensa Selección Paraguaya de Fútbol

Paulo da Silva x 2

Richard Ortiz

Dario Verón

Edgar Benitez

Néstor Ayala

Jonathan Fabbro

Paraguay’s goalscorers in last ten matches

Edgar Benitez x 3

Jonathan Fabbro x 2

Cristian Riveros x 2

Oscar Cardozo

Dario Veron

Julio Manzur

José Ortigoza

Ariel Bogado

Jonathan Santana

Ricardo Mazacotte

Hernan Perez

By Ralph Hannah

 

World Cup Qualifiers: Paraguay vs Venezuela preview

Paraguay vs Venezuela
Estadio Defensores del Chaco
11/09/2012, 19.25 hs (00:25 BST)

A recent poll on a Paraguayan sports website asked if this game was ‘Win or Bust’ for the albirroja with 90% of voters responding ‘Yes’. The opponents are equally motivated following last year’s Copa América semi-final defeat on penalties as they look to score their first ever goal against Paraguay in the Defensores del Chaco. It promises to be a hard-fought game between two sides on a three game winless run in the qualifiers and looking to turn things round.

Paraguay in training ahead of Venezuela game – Photo: D10.com.py

Paraguay weren’t good enough against Argentina but their display was better than the lacklustre performaces previously against Peru, Chile and Bolivia. Under Pelusso they looked more like a Martino team, pressing hard and trying to recover the ball as quick as possible. Against Venezuela they will need to keep the ball better when they do get possession, something which full back Ivan Piris indicated in the recent press conference. With that in mind Pelusso is going for some drastic changes and is expected to play with three at the back to have more bodies in midfield. While Jonathan Fabbro will be the link between midfield and attack the support from the wingbacks is expected to come from Miguel Samudio and Carlos Bonet who both ply their trade in the local league. Up front Roque is expected to make way for Haedo (assuming he shrugs off a niggle) and he will probably partner Oscar Cardozo.

Fabbro and Riveros are set to keep their place in starting XI – Photo: Prensa Selección Asociación Paraguaya de Fútbol

Venezuela, like Paraguay, have struggled for goals from open play – four of their five strikes have been via set pieces and come into this game knowing that they are on a depressingly familiar course. In the 2010 qualifiers a promising start was ended by a five game winless run that they couldn’t recover from. It began with a 1-1 draw to Uruguay followed by a reverse on home soil to Chile, and away defeats to Peru, Paraguay before losing at home to Brazil. In the last three qualifiers they have drawn 1-1 with Uruguay and been beaten in the subsequent games against Chile and Peru, the vinotinto must be feeling a sense of déjà vu.

Prediction: Paraguay are leaking goals under Pelusso and going to three at the back probably won’t help stability, having said that I can’t see the albirroja failing to win at home, 3-2

Paraguay XI (possible): Justo Villar; Dario Verón, Paulo Da Silva, Antolin Alcaraz; Carlos Bonet, Víctor Cáceres, Cristian Riveros, Miguel Samudio; Jonathan Fabbro; Nelson Haedo, Oscar Cardozo

SELECTED ODDS: Paraguay win 1.61; Draw 4.0; Venezuela 7.2; 3-2 scoreline 36.0; Over 2.5 goals 2.08

BEST BET: The BTTS (Both Teams to Score) bet worked against Argentina and looks decent again at just over evens, especially considering the shaky defences

===================

STATS AND TRIVIA

Venezuela have only scored two goals on Paraguayan soil both in Ciudad del Este, one in a friendly vs Paraguay and one in a 3-1 Copa America defeat to Mexico.

Paraguay vs Venezuela Head-to-Head (World Cup Qualifiers)

Pld 10 W 9 D 0 L 1 GF 16 GA 4

There is a whole blog post dedicated to stats which you can check out here.

===================

PARAGUAY FULL SQUAD

Goalkeepers: Justo Villar (Estudiantes LP), Antony Silva (Dep. Tolima), Diego Barreto (Cerro Porteño)

Defenders: Paulo Da Silva (Pachuca), Antolín Alcaraz (Wigan Athletic), Darío Verón (Pumas), Carlos Bonet (Cerro Porteño), Iván Piris (Roma), Pedro Benítez (Cerro Porteño), Miguel Samudio (Libertad), Richard Ortiz (Olimpia), Salustiano Candia (Olimpia)

Midfielders: Víctor Cáceres (Flamengo), Cristian Riveros (Kayserispor), Hernán Pérez (Villarreal), Víctor Ayala (Lanus), Marcelo Estigarribia (Sampdoria), Julio Dos Santos (Cerro Porteño), Fidencio Oviedo (Cerro Porteño), Jonathan Fabbro (Cerro Porteño)

Strikers: Roque Santa Cruz (Málaga), Nelson Haedo (Valencia), Óscar Cardozo (Benfica), Édgar Benítez (Toluca), Luis Nery Caballero (Krylya Sovetov Samara)

Pelusso names Paraguay squad for qualifiers with Argentina and Venezuela

This afternoon Gerardo Pelusso named his first competitive squad for the World Cup Qualifiers in Córdoba against Argentina on September 7th and the home game in Asunción versus Venezuela on September 11th. The preliminary list is of 20 players currently playing outside of Paraguay, on August 31st the Uruguayan coach will confirm his squad with the inclusion of names from the local leagues.

Pelusso has picked his squad – Photo: Prensa Selección Asociación Paraguaya de Fútbol

In general the squad is the same set of names that took on Guatemala in a friendly last week but there are a few new faces. Notably the ex-Libertad pair of versatile midfielder Víctor Ayala and in-form striker Robin Ramirez have earned call ups, Ayala was a key player in the previous home qualifiers thanks to his dead ball expertise. Ramirez on the other hand hasn’t featured much for the national team despite finishing top scorer in the Colombian Apertura. In defence there is a recall for full back Marcos Cáceres who seems to have found his feet at Newell’s Old Boys, even scoring at the weekend.

Robin Ramirez is back in the Albirroja set up

FULL SQUAD

Goalkeepers: Justo Villar (Estudiantes LP, Argentina); Antony Silva (Deportes Tolima, Colombia).

Defenders: Paulo Da Silva (Pachuca, México), Darío Verón (Pumas, México), Antolín Alcaraz (Wigan Athletic, England), Iván Piris (Roma, Italy), Marcos Cáceres (Newell’s Old Boys, Argentina).

Midfielders: Víctor Ayala (Lanús, Argentina), Fernando Giménez (Emelec, Ecuador), Víctor Cáceres (Flamengo, Brazil), Hernán Pérez (Villarreal, Spain), Cristian Riveros (Kayserispor, Turkey), Marcelo Estigarribia (Sampdoria, Italy), Osvaldo Martínez (Atlante, México).

Forwards:  Roque Santa Cruz (Manchester City, England), Nelson Haedo (Valencia, Spain), Óscar Cardozo (Benfica, Portugal), Edgar Benítez (Toluca, México), Luis Caballero (Krylya Sovetov, Russia),  Robin Ramírez (Deportes Tolima, Colombia)

By Ralph Hannah

Paraguay Abroad: Nelson Haedo joins Valencia on loan

Nelson Haedo is one of Paraguay’s most beloved players for his hard running, never-say-die attitude on the pitch matched by a genuine rags to riches story off it. While Sid Lowe’s wonderful piece from a few years back covers the latter here are the facts and stats on Valencia’s latest signing.

Nelson Haedo Valdez

Nelson Haedo Valdez after THAT goal vs Argentina

D.o.B: 28 November 1983

Height: 1.78 metres

Position: Forward

Club: Valencia (Spain)

Former Clubs: Tembertary (Paraguay), Werder Bremen, Borussia Dortmund (both  Germany), Hercules (Spain), Rubin Kazan (Russia)

 International Caps: 59

International Goals: 12

The striker was plucked from obscurity at the turn of the century by German club Werder Bremen having been spotted in the Paraguayan Intermedia. Haedo Valdez has never been a great scorer of goals nor a scorer of great goals, his strength lies in his stamina and determination that allows him to support teammates and create spaces from his constant running. With that in mind he is wasted as a lone striker where he was used occassionally in the national team and at Valencia will have to be used in conjunction with somebody like Roberto Soldado or Pablo Piatti. Nelson will run, take defenders away, break down attacks while his striker partner can poach to their heart’s content.

The striker is a hero in his native Paraguay and is seen as the epitomy of the Garra Guaraní which he displays every  time he pulls on the albirroja. Such is his desire to do well for the national team he often plays much better than some of his more talented compatriots, in the 2010 World Cup Qualifiers he scored five goals, only Salvador Cabañas (6) managed more in Paraguay’s campaign.  The most memorable of which has to be the only goal against Diego Maradona’s Argentina, capping an excellent passing move. A man for the big occassion he scored against Brazil in last year’s Copa América and was desperately close to knocking out Spain in the 2010 World Cup (his first-half strike was ruled out for offside).

In Russia Nelson Haedo Valdez has enjoyed success on the field with Rubin Kazan, winning the Russian Cup and Russian Super Cup, but he always struggled to adapt to the life and the climate. On a trip back to Paraguay with the national team he told local radio “It’s so cold even your snot freezes” when talking about the harsh conditions. Now in warmer climes he should be more at home; regardless of the weather Valencia have got a player who will give it his all as it is the only way he knows how.

By Ralph Hannah