Argentine coach Ricardo Gareca will face Peru again this Friday, this time as coach of Chile, in the debut of both teams in the Copa América 2024.
Gareca’s cycle left a good memory in Peru, the country he took back to the World Cup after 36 years of absence, in Russia.
Today, the Argentine has the mission of rebuilding the Chilean team, which had a disappointing start in the current World Cup qualifiers under the command of his compatriot Eduardo Berizzo. Peru is also experiencing a new stage, with Uruguayan Jorge Fossati as coach.
The Group A match, starring world champion Argentina, starts at 9 pm (Brasília time), at the home of the Dallas Cowboys in the NFL: AT&T Stadium.
“More certainties than doubts”
Gareca’s Chile played promising friendlies towards the Copa América and the last of them ended with a solid 3-0 victory over Paraguay, with goals from Víctor Dávila (2) and Eduardo Vargas.
The Chileans had also beaten Albania by the same score and lost to the powerful France, albeit with a tight score of 3-2.
“We have a good number of important players, who play in relevant leagues and who responded to us as people and athletes. Today, I have more certainties than doubts”, celebrated Gareca, 66 years old, at a press conference.
Although he has released old icons including Arturo Vidal, Charles Aránguiz and Gary Medel, the team retains players such as Alexis Sánchez and goalkeeper Claudio Bravo as holdovers from the generation that won the Copa América in 2015 and 2016.
👀♟️ 𝐒𝐮 𝐣𝐮𝐞𝐠𝐨.#SomosLaRoja pic.twitter.com/QgCv8TIC7m
— Chilean National Team (@LaRoja) June 18, 2024
“Pedestal”
Jorge Fossati, 71 years old, also achieved good results in Peru’s preparations, with three wins and a draw.
“It’s logical that what Ricardo (Gareca) did in the Peruvian national team is remembered with respect and affection, it’s logical that they value him a lot, place him on a pedestal”, declared the Uruguayan in a radio interview.
Fossati took over from Juan Reynoso at the end of 2023.
Symbol of the old guard, Paolo Guerrero is on their call-up list. It will be the top scorer’s sixth Copa América. The 40-year-old center forward leads the ranking of Copa América’s top scorers alongside Chilean Vargas, both with 14 goals. The two will meet on Friday at AT&T Stadium in Arlington.
Milestone in arbitration
Brazilian Wilton Sampaio will be the main referee of the match, but all eyes will be on compatriots Edina Alves, fourth referee, and Neuza Back, fifth.
The two will be the first women to form an arbitration body in the history of the oldest national team tournament in the world.
Source: Gazetaesportiva
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