World Cup Preview - Group A - Uruguay
Nickname: "La Celeste (Sky Blues)"FIFA ranking - 19th
Coach: Oscar Tabarez
Game Schedule:
June 11 – Uruguay v. France (Cape Town, 2:30 p.m. EST, ESPN)
June 15 – Uruguay v. South Africa (Pretoria, 2:30 p.m., ESPN)
June 22 – Mexico vs. Uruguay (Rustenburg, 10 a.m., ESPN)
Prospects: After finishing fifth in CONMEBOL qualifying and then squeaking through a tense play-off with CONCACAF also-rans Costa Rica, Uruguay are merely making up the numbers in Group A. A recent friendly win away to Switzerland will give Tabarez some vain hope for SA2010.
Key Player: Fenerbahce Skipper Diego Lugano, who anchors the Uruguayan defense.
Youngster to watch: 21 year old Ajax midfielder Nicolas Lodeiro has recently been integrated into the side.
Who Will Get the Goals: It will have to be ManYoo old boy Diego Forlan, who was top scorer in qualifiers and scored a boatload for Atletico on their way to today's Europa League final. His partnership with Luis Suarez is Uruguay's best hope.
Prediction: Fourth in a weak group with perhaps a point or two to show for their efforts before boarding the flight back to Montevideo.
posted by The Blue Devil @ 12:00 AM
4 Comments:
Forlan with the two Atletico goals in today's Europa League Final. I might have to revise my prediction. They might actually finish ahead of SA!
I think you've nailed it. The most important game for S. Africa is the one against Uruguay. If S. Africa looks at their schedule, they're probably thinking that this is as close as they get to a banker, but I dunno. I saw Uruguay periodically in qualifying and they look pretty composed and full of running. They play like Piltdown's teams, lots of fouling in non-dangerous areas, and they're big on set pieces. Apart from Forlan who's made it his mission to stick 2 fingers up at SAF with every goal. Most remarkable turnaround for a Man United reject? I'd say.
And you should have noted that Luiz Suarez is being eyed up by none other than that devotee of young midfielders, Arsene Wenger.
I should have known!
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