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Offline sin

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Focus on Paraguay: Word of warning to rivals
« on: April 24, 2006, 07:40:22 PM »
Source: New Straits Times

PARAGUAY have made the last 16 at the last two World Cup Finals and with their brand of tight play will be hoping to do the same at Germany 2006.

They also made the second round at Mexico 1986, their modern teams presenting a more effective challenge than those at the tournaments of 1930, 1950 and 1958, where they fell in the first round.

Paraguay came fourth in their qualifying group, grabbing the final direct place for the Finals ahead of more illustrious contenders like Uruguay, Colombia and Chile.

They booked their ticket to Germany in an away match against Venezuela, where a single goal from Nelson Haedo Valdes was enough to take all three points. Also in qualifying they got their first ever World Cup win over Argentina.

Paraguay have a strong leader in their Uruguayan coach Anibal ‘Mano’ Ruiz, who won the ‘Best Coach of the Americas’ award in 2005 for his work with the ‘Guarani’, as Paraguay are known.

A word of warning to their group rivals — it took champions France to beat them in 1998 and runners-up Germany in 2002, both times by slender 1-0 margins.

They have been drawn in Group B with England, Sweden and Trinidad and Tobago and will have their work cut out if they hope to make the last 16.

The side Ruiz will lead out in Germany is somewhat changed from 2002, the most notable absentee being goalkeeper José Luis Chilavert, famous for his eight international goals.

One old face still in the running though is central defender and national captain Carlos Gamarra, who plays with Palmeiras in Brazil.

Young striker Roque Santa Cruz, built like a giant, has been a regular feature at Bayern Munich for some time now, while Paraguay's fresh-faced playmaker Julio dos Santos left Cerro Porteno for Bayern in the 2005-06 close season.

For his part Haedo Valdes is also a fixture in Germany with Werder Bremen, and the 21-year-old has been terrorising defences this season.

Other experienced players are midfielder Roberto ‘Toro’ Acuna who plays with Spain's Deportivo Coruna, while defenders Delio Toledo and Jorge Nunez are at Real Zaragoza and Racing Club of Argentina respectively.

Paraguay were bronze medallists at the 2004 Athens Olympic Games where they fielded a string of impressive youngsters such as Cristian Riveros, Dante Lopez and Jose Montiel. — AFP
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'Player to watch:The Bombardier'



ON Oct 8, 2005 Paraguay were playing Venezuela in a World Cup qualifying match at the Jose Pachencho Romero de Maracaibo Stadium, where it is always tough to beat the hosts, and after an hour's play it was still deadlocked.

Then in the 65th minute, the Paraguayans launched a counter attack down the right and a cross found Nelson Valdez who dummied, and then hit a powerful shot which found the back of the net.

The Werder Bremen striker had just propelled his country into the World Cup Finals in Germany.

The young player, just 21, is not about to quickly forget his first international goal which made him a hero in his homeland despite yet having to play a top level football in Paraguay.

Born in San Joaquin, a small urban region situated some 200km from the capital of Asuncion, the farmer’s son was introduced to Werder Bremen president who was visiting Paraguay.

He was 18 and the year 2001.

At the time, the young Nelson Haedo Valdez lived underneath the stands of the stadium belonging to Atletico Tembetary, a modest Second Division club.

"When it rained, I couldn't sleep," he recalls.

In September 2005, he won the hearts of the Asuncion public who gave him a standing ovation after the match against Argentina.

‘The German Bombardier’, as he was known, had given the Argentines a mighty fright with a rasping shot that slammed against the post in the 82nd minute.

In the end, that missed chance did not matter as Paraguay went on to beat Argentina for the first time in World Cup qualifying.

Valdez was voted Man of The Match.

Lively, decisive, an opportunist with great heading skills, Nelson Valdez is renowned in Germany for his important strikes. — AFP
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Offline kounty

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Re: Focus on Paraguay: Word of warning to rivals
« Reply #1 on: April 24, 2006, 08:16:43 PM »
t&t and paraguay 4 2nd rounds!!

Offline ndookie

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Re: Focus on Paraguay: Word of warning to rivals
« Reply #2 on: April 24, 2006, 08:33:24 PM »
its difficult to think that neither england nor sweden getting into second round...
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Offline chelsea64

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Re: Focus on Paraguay: Word of warning to rivals
« Reply #3 on: April 25, 2006, 08:20:27 AM »
its difficult to think that neither england nor sweden getting into second round...

All it takes is a draw against England or Sweden and a win against Paraguay could lead to qualification to the knockout statges.

Winning the first two games would be my first choice but, realistically, draws are possible. Paraguay is our best chance for a group win and never stop believing that we will still be in with a shot at progressing come 20th June.
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Offline trinbago

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Re: Focus on Paraguay: Word of warning to rivals
« Reply #4 on: April 25, 2006, 08:35:33 AM »
As i said before...paraguay is being underestimated.....not necessarily by us alone...but also England and Sweden
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Offline Bourbon

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Re: Focus on Paraguay: Word of warning to rivals
« Reply #5 on: April 25, 2006, 08:40:28 AM »
Exactly. And people talking bout getting the points we need to scrape through from them. The element of suprise will only be present for our first game....after dat......it kinda gone. As hard as it might seem.....We HAVE to get a positive result from Sweden to start it off. 3 Pts go be nice...but one is no problem. If we do that.....it a lot easier.
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Offline pardners

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Re: Focus on Paraguay: Word of warning to rivals
« Reply #6 on: April 25, 2006, 10:49:30 AM »
Plenty people mixing up HOPE with MOST LIKELY and REALITY.
I always felt that PARAGUAY is our biggest threat in the group....hhhmmm more likely we would be a threat to them going through.  :)

My thoughts  :-\

Hope - T&T gets through to the 2nd rounds...however the points come
Most Likey - Very difficult...Paraguay and England to go through
Reality - We have to wait and see....but in the meantime we could HOPE  ;D
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Offline rodigan

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Re: Focus on Paraguay: Word of warning to rivals
« Reply #7 on: April 25, 2006, 07:05:58 PM »
at the end of the day - each game is 90 minutes and anything can happen - these are the best 32 teams in the world, so there are no easy games. its all about preparation, focus and passion.

the coach needs to provide the first, the players the second and we'll do the rest...

Offline rippin

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Re: Focus on Paraguay: Word of warning to rivals
« Reply #8 on: April 26, 2006, 12:36:27 AM »
Men keep on saying the WC is about the best 32 teams in the world. That is not the case. It is a representation of World football. Bahrain had a chance of qualifying for the WC!

That being said. I don't think anyone underestimating Paraguay. I think deep down we all know that we are the long shot in the group. There are many examples where long shots came through though.
Genius is one per cent inspiration, ninety-nine per cent perspiration. (Thomas A. Edison )

Offline rodigan

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Re: Focus on Paraguay: Word of warning to rivals
« Reply #9 on: April 26, 2006, 06:42:34 PM »
its as close as you'll get to having an opportunity for the best teams in the world to compete.

if you don't qualify you shouldn't be there - lets enjoy it for what it is. i will certainly be claiming that trinidad is the best team in the world when we win it, even if some higher ranked teams didn't qualify.

Offline E-man

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Gamarra gunning for England
« Reply #10 on: April 26, 2006, 08:40:40 PM »
Gamarra gunning for England
by FIFAworldcup.com


27 April 2006


Paraguay captain Carlos Gamarra lines up before an international, October 2005
 
"I've been at peace with myself for some time," says 35-year-old Carlos Gamarra as he ponders his work to date with the Paraguay national team.

Ambition, however, still burns brightly within this battle-hardened stalwart, whose CV includes appearances at two FIFA World Cups™ (France 1998 and Korea/Japan 2002) and an identical number of Olympic Games, tournaments which have helped raise Paraguayan football to new heights and earned the national team international esteem.

Born on 17 February 1971 in the province of Yparacai, Gamarra – for all his renowned steel, grit and drive on the field – can come across as decidedly shy in interviews. It was certainly thus when, speaking with head bowed and smiling occasionally, the Palmeiras defender told FIFAworldcup.com of his expectations for Germany 2006.

FIFAworldcup.com: You're a veteran of Paraguay's 1998 and 2002 FIFA World Cup teams. What is the difference between those teams and the one that will be playing in Germany?
Carlos Gamarra: There are huge differences. In 1998, we were not at our best and ended up getting left behind. We marked a lot and barely played because we lacked a creative striker. If we could score from a dead-ball situation, we would win. Otherwise, we would concede one and lose. We're a totally different team now. We have a great attack and many good players, like Roque Santa Cruz and Julio dos Santos, who play for Bayern Munich. It's a fresh team, with five or six players who've been in two World Cups plus the kids who've joined the squad more recently. Paraguay have a stronger team, one that commands respect.

Your coach, Anibal Ruiz, says that being drawn against England in your first game in Germany is the best thing that could have happened. Do you agree?
Absolutely, because if we had to face them in the last game, when there's everything to play for, it would be much tougher. But in the first game, if things go our way, we'll be in good spirits for the rest of our matches.
Paraguay lost to the eventual champions France in 1998, and to Germany, who reached the final, in 2002. Will it be a case of third time lucky against one of the traditional powers when you play England?
(Smiling) It has to be, because that's what we're aiming for. Now we have a better, more experienced team, with players who've played in Europe for two or three seasons. I think that's really going to help us get to the second round. Our aim is to get past the last 16, which is something we haven't achieved in two World Cups. Paraguay could do it this time because we're better.

Which strikers do you think could cause problems for you in Group B?
Well, there are a few. I know the English and the Swedes, although I can't say I know much about Trinidad and Tobago. The English are strong. They've got those strikers you see on TV, (Michael) Owen and (Wayne) Rooney.

What's it like for Paraguay to face European teams?
It's always harder when you're drawn against a European side. It's tougher than playing an Asian or African team.

When Brazil and Argentina play in the FIFA World Cup, anything less than winning the Trophy is considered to be a failure. What's the view in Paraguay?
Our aim is to take it stage by stage and our first goal is to reach the quarter-finals. After that, it will all depend on who we play.

As the captain and the team's most experienced player, how would you define your role within the team?
My role within the team is to play football! (Laughs.) The players are very disciplined and don't mess around much, so my role will just be to give advice. What I do is bring a bit of order to the group and make sure we work as a team. This all helps to guide the new generation, who are still developing. They are the ones who are going to keep the team going.

What do you still want to achieve with the Paraguay team?
As I said earlier, I want to reach the quarter-finals of the World Cup. I'd just like to get through the first round, then play in the second and get through that. That would be great. I've already fulfilled my biggest goal with my country. This will be my third World Cup, and I've already played in two Olympics. I've been at peace with myself for some time. I always take my work seriously. I don't think that anyone could say otherwise.


 

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