Return to Relevance: Peru's Road to Russia 2018 (PES 2016)

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Fernandez, Requena out for Argentina encounter

MIAMI -- Peru head coach Ricardo Gareca will only have 21 players to choose from against Argentina.

Veteran goalkeeper Raul Fernandez and right back Pedro Requena are both set to miss the upcoming friendly at SunLife Stadium due to injuries picked up during the first training session in South Florida. Fernandez, who is competing with Pedro Gallese for the starting goalkeeper spot, is dealing with a calf injury while Requena is nursing a hamstring problem.

The news is a blow for both players, but especially Fernandez given that he was slated to start vs. the Argentines.

"We were planning on rotating between Pedro (Gallese) and Raul in goal in these two games," said Gareca after practice. "With Pedro starting against the U.S., we were going to give Raul his shot vs. Argentina. Unfortunately for us and Raul, the injury has changed our plans."

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Hurtado equalizer saves Peru in draw with Argentina

MIAMI -- Paolo Hurtado said he was looking to establish himself in his first camp under Ricardo Gareca. Well, Hurtado looks well on his way.

Hurtado scored an equalizer to give Peru a 1-1 draw with Lionel Messi and Argentina on a breezy night at SunLife Stadium. The Peruvian midfielder scored in the 63rd minute, winning a ball high up the field and racing in on goal before firing a shot past Sergio Romero.

The goal canceled out Sergio Aguero's splendid opener for Argentina. The striker found the back of the net with some individual brilliance in the 17th minute, and it sent the pro-Argentina crowd in the South Florida stadium into a frenzy.

Peru gave its supporters in attendance and back at home a reason to cheer, too, as Hurtado's leveler after the hour-mark kept the improving Peruvians unbeaten under Gareca's watch.

ARGENTINA 1-1 PERU
Possession: 50-50
Shots (Shots On Goal): 8(3) - 6(4)
Yellow Cards: Argentina: Angel Di Maria (57')
Red Cards:

GOALS
17' -- Argentina -- Sergio Aguero (Javier Pastore) -- Carlos Ascues won a pass attemped by Lionel Messi, but it ricocheted off Carlos Lobaton and fell to Javier Pastore. The Argentine attacker then lofted a ball to the right side of the penalty area, where Sergio Aguero took a wicked first touch to get inside of Carlos Zambrano before perfectly hitting a shot with the outside part of his right foot to the far corner.
63' -- Peru -- Paolo Hurtado -- Just as it looked like he was going to be substituted, Hurtado made an impressive individual play by pressing high and winning a ball off of Nicolas Otamendi. Hurtado then dribbled forward before Argentina's defenders could close him down and his low effort nestled into the bottom right corner of the net.

PERU LINEUP (4-4-1-1):
GK: Pedro Gallese
RB: Luis Advincula
RCB: Carlos Zambrano
LCB: Carlos Ascues
LB: Yoshimar Yotun
RM: Andre Carrillo (Juan Manuel Vargas 45')
DM: Josepmir Ballon (Edwin Retamoso 75')
CM: Carlos Lobaton (c) (Christofer Gonzales 61')
LM: Paolo Hurtado (Ivan Bulos 86')
SS: Jefferson Farfan
ST: Paolo Guerrero (Claudio Pizarro 61')

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Gareca happy with progress shown in November games

LIMA -- The goals may not have come in bunches, but Ricardo Gareca was pleased with Peru's progress all the same.

Peru finished its November camp and 2014 schedule with a pair of friendlies in the United States last week, beating the U.S., 2-1, and then playing Argentina to a 1-1 stalemate. The two results moved the Peruvians to an unbeaten 4-2-0 under Gareca in his first few months in charge of the program, and they also left him content with the improvements he saw.

"We played two tough opponents in the U.S., and got two good results," said Gareca in a press conference at La Videna days after returning to Peru from the United States. "Of course we wanted to beat Argentina, but the attack took steps in the right direction in this last camp. The defense also continued to improved and showed well, surrendering just two combined goals in the two matches, and some youngsters and newcomers showed promise."

While Peru will have a bit of a break before the first international fixture date of 2015 in March, Gareca knows there is not much time for him to relax. In addition to scheduling friendlies for that FIFA window, the draw for the upcoming Copa America in Chile is set to take place in mid-December.

"We are eager to learn who the opponents in our group will be," said Gareca. "Once we know that, we can really begin the preparations for next year."

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Press delighted to see role players deliver in November camp

Local reporters and media members liked that Peru's veterans helped lead the way in the November camp, but they also liked how other role players stepped up and performed, too.

Here is a consensus of how some players did as well as storylines of interest:

STOCK UP

Claudio Pizarro: Didn't get a chunk of minutes, but made the most of the ones he did get. He scored a well-taken winner vs. the United States, and looked a bit more dangerous than Paolo Guerrero at the top of the preferred 4-4-1-1 formation that Ricardo Gareca has been using.

Paolo Hurtado: Another player who found the back of the net, Hurtado made the most of his start by burying the equalizer vs. Argentina. He wasn't overly dangerous, but you could expect that of a player in his first camp under a new head coach. This was a solid foundation from which to build on.

Yoshimar Yotun: Surprisingly got the nod over Juan Manuel Vargas, but proved up for the challenge with two very solid games at left back. He defended well, read his opponents repeatedly, made good interceptions and tackles, and served as a constant outlet for the midfielders. A great 180 minutes for Yotun.

Josepmir Ballon: The defensive midfielder paired well with Carlos Lobaton in the center of the park. Ballon's industry, ball-winning, and range helped free up Lobaton to do more of the lifting in the attack. This is a central midfield tandem worth seeing again.

STOCK DOWN

Paolo Guerrero: Wasn't as big of a threat as Pizarro, and was subbed out of both games around the hour-mark. It might be unthinkable to some, but could Guerrero's automatic starting spot in the lineup be in trouble?

LINGERING QUESTIONS

-How will Gareca approach the left back situation after seeing Yoshimar Yotun perform so well while knowing that Juan Manuel Vargas is also still very capable?

-Is Paolo Guerrero hitting 'Father Time' sooner than most expected?

-Did Raul Fernandez's injury put Pedro Gallese in the pole position to win the No. 1 goalkeeper spot?

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By The Numbers: A closer look at 2014

RECORD (W-D-L): 4-2-0

GOALS FOR: 10

GOALS AGAINST: 4

GOAL DIFFERENTIAL: +6

GOALS SCORED IN FIRST HALVES: 4

GOALS SCORED IN SECOND HALVES: 6

GOALS CONCEDED IN FIRST HALVES: 3

GOALS CONCEDED IN SECOND HALVES: 1

TAKEN LEAD: 3

FALLEN BEHIND: 2

CAPPED PLAYERS: 32

CAPS:

Claudio Pizarro - 6
Juan Manuel Vargas - 6
Carlos Lobaton - 6
Jefferson Farfan - 6
Paolo Guerrero - 5
Andre Carrillo - 5
Carlos Zambrano - 5
Carlos Ascues - 5
Luis Advincula - 5
Josepmir Ballon - 5
Pedro Gallese - 4
Pedro Requena - 4
Yoshimar Yotun - 4
Johan Fano - 3
Edwin Retamoso - 3
Jean Deza - 3
Raul Fernandez - 2
William Chiroque - 2
Cristian Benavente - 2
Christian Cueva - 2
Renzo Revoredo - 2
Christian Ramos - 2
Christofer Gonzales - 2
Paolo Hurtado - 2
Ivan Bulos - 2
Alberto Rodriguez - 1
Hansell Riojas - 1
Jair Cespedes - 1
Rinaldo Cruzado - 1
Alexander Callens - 1
Renato Tapia - 1

GOALS

Juan Manuel Vargas - 2

Claudio Pizarro - 2

Paolo Guerrero - 2

Andre Carrillo - 1

Carlos Lobaton - 1

Jefferson Farfan - 1

Paolo Hurtado - 1

ASSISTS

Pedro Requena - 2

Juan Manuel Vargas - 1

Andre Carrillo - 1

Carlos Lobaton -1

Luis Advincula - 1

Jean Deza - 1

Johan Fano - 1

CLEANSHEETS

Raul Fernandez - 1

Pedro Gallese - 1

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Gareca reflects on 2014 in end-of-year press conference

LIMA -- Ricardo Gareca does not smile often when answering questions, but he could not help but smirk a little when pausing to answer a question about how he thought Peru did in his first few months in charge in 2014.

Gareca held his end-of-the-year press conference in La Videna to reflect on what he saw in the six friendlies that were played since he was appointed the Peruvians' head coach. He also discussed what he would like to see going forward, the challenges that 2015 brings, and other topics.

Here is his Q&A session with the media:

Radio Ovacion: Now that you have had a little more time to reflect, what do you think about how the team performed and progress in these opening months of your tenure? What would you like to see improve?

Gareca: Well, I think we showed that we're a team that can play. We kept the ball on the ground, and returned to Peru's traditional way of playing and went unbeaten in six games. We're a team that has players with plenty of quality across the field, and I'm pleased with how things have started.

As for what can get better, well, our understanding of how to play in certain moments or situations that happen in a game, our concentration levels on defense, our understanding in the attack. There's plenty of room to grow, but I'm satisfied with this beginning."

El Comercio: Ricardo, you relied a lot on veteran players during this run. The numbers came out a couple of days ago, and Claudio Pizarro and Carlos Lobaton were among the most capped players. Obviously they bring tons of leadership and experience, but with the goal being to qualify for Russia 2018 and given their age, should you be relying on them less?

Gareca: We count on the best players at the moment. Right now, Claudio and Carlos are among our best players. Claudio scored two goals in six games, Carlos had a goal and an assists. To get to a World Cup you have to go with the best you have in those specific moments. If the time comes when they start to produce and others step up, then naturally, like in any team, they will find it harder to keep a place in the squad.

CMD: Somewhat related to that question, which young player stood out to you the most?

Gareca: We introduced some newer faces in these three camps. What we saw was very positive, but one player that I think progressed very well was Carlos Ascues. He's a midfielder, but we think he has all the qualities to be a top-notch centerback. He is still learning the position, but the early returns are promising.

America TV: Wanted to ask about Pedro Gallese. It appears he is the No. 1 goalkeeper right now ahead of Raul Fernandez. Is that the case going into 2015?

Gareca: Right now, the starting goalkeeper spot is open. We've had them two take turns in net to give them each a fair shot. Pedro just ended up playing one game more than we had planned because of an injury to Raul, who as a result only saw time in two. They're both very talented and good goalkeepers. We'll make a decision as to who the starter is before the Copa America.

RPP: Paolo Guerrero scored twice in your debut as coach, but has struggled to find the back of the net and hasn't looked sharp since. Is his age catching up to him? Also, how do you plan to prepare for the Copa America in Chile?

Gareca: Paolo is a player of tremendous caliber. I liked what I saw from him in the first two games. He then got hurt in October, missed a game, tried to come up but was still bothered by it. November's camp came quick and he was still working his way back to 100 percent. He is getting there now with his club.

In terms of the Copa America, we are working on finalizing some friendlies for March as well as a couple in January that would be only for a domestic-based group of players. We should be announcing those shortly, and are planning to use all the matches as a way to prepare for both the Copa America and the fall's initial World Cup Qualifiers.

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Peru to open 2015 with Uruguay, Venezuela, Jamaica, Qatar friendlies

LIMA -- Peru has played a range of opponents thus far under manager Ricardo Gareca, and that trend will continue at the start of 2015.

The Peruvian Football Federation (FPF) announced that friendlies against Uruguay, Venezuela, Jamaica, and Qatar have been scheduled for early next year. The Jamaica and Qatar games will come first in January for a group of domestic-based players only, and then the full team is expected to get together for March's matches vs. Venezuela and Uruguay.

"With Copa America and World Cup Qualifiers looming in 2015, we wanted to play more than just two games," said Gareca in a statement. "Each team possesses different challenges, and should serve as a good barometer for where we are going into the very important Copa America and World Cup Qualifying matches in the summer and fall."

Peru will host Jamaica and Qatar in Lima's Estadio Nacional and Estadio Monumental, respectively. Estadio Nacional was also chosen as the site for the Venezuela friendly, which comes before the Peruvians travel to play Uruguay in the Estadio Centenario in Montevideo.

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Peru paired with Argentina, Uruguay, USA in Copa America group

VINA DEL MAR -- Some familiar foes will await Peru in their Copa America group.

The draw for the 2015 Copa America in Chile took place tonight, and Peru was slotted into Group B alongside Argentina, Uruguay, and the United States. The Peruvians just played Argentina and the U.S. in friendlies in November, tying the CONMEBOL powerhouse, 1-1, and coming from behind to beat the Americans, 2-1. Additionally, Peru's federation recently announced a road exhibition game against Uruguay in March.

"Playing three teams that we will have played before the tournament is the luck of the draw, but knowing them doesn't mean it will be any less difficult to advance," said Peru manager Ricardo Gareca to the press in attendance following the event. "Argentina, the U.S., and Uruguay will all be tough games. That said, our goal is to make it out of the group and into the quarterfinals."

Elsewhere, host Chile was paired with Colombia, Paraguay, and Venezuela in Group while Brazil landed in Group C next to Ecuador, Mexico, and Bolivia.

Here are the full groups for the 2015 Copa America:

GROUP A
Chile
Colombia
Paraguay
Venezuela

GROUP B
Argentina
Uruguay
USA
Peru

GROUP C
Brazil
Ecuador
Mexico
Bolivia