Paraguay Team Preview - 2015 Copa America

Probably the dark horses to make a surge into the business end of the competition, Paraguay is a little-known quantity brimming with talent. With a squad still seething from its inability to qualify for Brazil 2014, this is the only shot at redemption for the unfancied South American nation.

They have to look no further for inspiration, however, than the previous edition of Sudamerica’s showpiece event, where they lost out to Uruguay in the finals. While a lot has changed for the Guaranis ever since, their target still remains a surprise shot at the semifinals.

And with only four teams exiting the group stages, it is up to Paraguay to consolidate themselves in third place at least, as fancied neighbours Argentina and Uruguay are expected to clinch the first two spots.

However, like Gerardo Martino’s men showed in the 2011 quarterfinals against Brazil, this is a team that has the steel and tenacity to shut shop and hold its fortress, at times of siege. Expect the same from them in the knockout stages this time.

Squad

Goalkeepers: Justo Villar (Colo Colo), Alfredo Aguilar (Guarani), Anthony Silva (Independiente Medellin)

Defenders: Ivan Piris (Udinese), Bruno Valdez (Cerro Porteno), Fabian Balbuena (Libertad), Marcos Caceres (Newell’s Old Boys), Pablo Aguilar (Club America), Paulo Da Silva (Toluca), Miguel Samudio (Club America)

Midfielders: Richard Ortiz (Toluca), Eduardo Aranda (Olimpia), Victor Caceres (Flamengo), Osmar Molinas (Libertad), Osvaldo Martinez (Club America), Nestor Ortigoza (San Lorenzo), Oscar Romero (Racing)

Forwards: Lucas Barrios (Montpellier), Roque Santa Cruz (Cruz Azul), Derlis Gonzalez (FC Basel), Nelson Haedo-Valdez (Eintracht Frankfurt), Raul Bobadilla (Augsburg)

Manager

Tata Martino’s departure in the midst of the qualifiers of Brazil 2014, left the team’s preparation woefully hamstrung. But, in his place came another potential hall-of-famer in South American football management, Ramon Diaz.

The River Plate legend was entrusted with turning the fortunes of La Albirojja around, with special emphasis given on Chile 2015. While he may not be able to lift the team to the Chilavert or Gamarra era, he can certainly try to emulate his compatriot and predecessor. It is easier said than done, however.

And that is precisely because the man at the helm can only do so much. The rest after all, is in the hands of a team, which has to prove their downbeat nation wrong. And if there’s anybody who can do that in this team, it is their talisman and figurehead, Roque Santa Cruz.

The man who set Ewood Park alight might be in the twilight of his career, but as his brace against Honduras this week proved, he’s still worthy of wearing the national team armband with distinction. And unlike earlier editions however, the Cruz Azul man isn’t alone this time, as Paraguay has an enviable attack, with most of them plying their trade in Europe.

Starting XI:

(4-3-3 Formation)

Goalkeepers: Justo Villar

Defenders: Ivan Piris, Marcos Caceres, Pablo Aguilar, Miguel Samudio

Midfielders: Richard Ortiz, Victor Caceres, Osvaldo Martinez

Forwards: Roque Santa Cruz, Derlis Gonzalez, Raul Bobadilla

Formation and Tactics

Sharing the burden with Santa Cruz this time are no pedestrians. In Raul Bobadilla, they have a maverick forward, much in the mould of Carlos Tevez. The Augsburg man can be a real handful on his day, much his like cheeky backheel goal against Bayern Munich earlier this season showed. Except him to team up with his skipper upfront, or play on the right flank of a three-pronged attack.

And completing the trio is one of Europe’s hottest properties right now, Derlis Gonzalez. The teenager who was a direct replacement to Mohammed Salah in the FC Basel squad, has the ability to cut it out with the best, with his searing pace and mazy dribbling.

Pablo Zabaleta and Maxi Pereira are going to have their hands full against the lively 21-year old, who’s on the radar of Europe’s big boys. A good showing in Chile will shoot his stocks up the roof. Needless to say, Gonzalez is the man to look out for in an otherwise workmanlike team.

And workmanlike is exactly what their midfield is. With the Victor Caceres, one half of the Caceres siblings playing the role of the sheet anchor, it is upon the rather unknown Osvaldo Martinez and the versatile Richard Ortiz to come up with the attacking goods for the team.

The latter is more or less the Philipp Lahm of the team, alternating between the roles of a fullback/wingback and a deep lying playmaker. However, it is hard to envisage the midfield holding its ground against more fancied opposition.

The same can be said about their defence too, with a lot of wise heads protecting the Albirroja goal. In Paulo Da Silva, they have the grand old man of Paraguayan football, the one who has been through thick and thin with the national team. If the 35-year old is deemed too ripe by Diaz, they still have the tremendously underrated Pablo Aguilar and the other half of the Caceres family, Marcos, as primary centre backs.

And giving them width at the back are Udinese right back Ivan Piris and Club America’s Miguel Samudio. In Piris, they have a solid, defensively thorough fullback, who has traversed the breadth of Europe, having played for the likes of Sporting Lisbon and AS Roma previously. And Samudio forms the Club America core of the Guaranis, with Aguilar, and Martinez forming the rest.

If Da Silva is the grand old man of Paraguayan football, Justo Villar is their very own Rogerio Ceni. At 37 years of age, the Newell’s Old Boys legend, now playing for Colo Colo still remains their undisputed custodian, in spite of stiff competition from Alfredo Aguilar and Anthony Silva.

With Diaz retaining his faith in the veteran, one can only hope he produces the kind of fine performances he pulled out of the hat during South Africa 2010 and the Copa America 2011. In fact, Villar went on to win the Golden Glove award in the latter competition.

History at the Copa America

With their best era coming during the post World War II era, Paraguay have a storied history in the Copa America, or the South American Championship, as it was known back then. While they’ve won the Copa Bolivia, the runners up trophy an astonishing six times, they’ve able to land the jackpot only twice in the nearly century old history of the competition.

However, the fact that the Golden Generation failed to win silverware in the continental event, still rankles in the hearts of the Guarani faithful. Even with the likes of Carlos Gamarra and Jose Luis Chilavert in their ranks, they could never replicate their World Cup showings in the Copa.

In fact, the 2011 edition was the first time they entered the finals of the CONMEBOL event since their victory in 1979. ?

Paraguay's performances in past Copa Americas

1975	Group Stage
1979	Winners
1983	Semi-finals(No third plce play-off)
1987	Group Stages
1989	Fourth Place
1991	Group Stages
1993	Quarterfinals
1995	Quarterfinals
1997	Quarterfinals
1999	Quarterfinals
2001	Group Stage
2004	Quarterfinals
2007	Quarterfinals
2011	Runners Up

Prediction

While a definitive prediction can’t be made with regards to teams like Paraguay and Ecuador, one can definitely chart their road to Santiago, if at all they reach there. With a showdown with either Mexico or Chile being projected in the quarterfinals, it is hard to envisage them making the semifinals. However, if they do cause an upset and get into the last four, they’ll most probably face the Colombians, who are in the form of their lives. Unless miracles happen, this is where the Guaranis would strike the dead end, if not earlier.

Defeat to Chile in the Quarter-finals.