URUGUAY: SOCCER/FOOTBALL: Uruguay's World Cup team practices ahead of match against Jordan

Record ID: 351587

  • Title: URUGUAY: SOCCER/FOOTBALL: Uruguay's World Cup team practices ahead of match against Jordan
  • Date: 18th November 2013
  • Summary: MONTEVIDEO, URUGUAY (NOVEMBER 17, 2013) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF MEMBERS OF THE URUGUAYAN NATIONAL SOCCER TEAM RUNNING DRILLS BEFORE TEAM PRACTICE MONTEVIDEO, URUGUAY (NOVEMBER 18, 2013) (REUTERS) (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) URUGUAY HEAD COACH, OSCAR TABAREZ, SAYING: "This is a serious game. We are not going to hold a training session. Just like always, the team we put on the pitch
  • Embargoed: 3rd December 2013 12:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Uruguay
  • Country: Uruguay
  • Topics: Sports
  • Reuters ID: LVACN7GGOUDY3GM1ICPBC6E0CAN7
  • Story Text: Uruguay are 5-0 up going into the second leg of their World Cup playoff against Jordan at the Centenario on Wednesday (November 20) and already dreaming of achieving another 'Maracanazo' at the finals in Brazil next year.
    The Uruguayans easily routed the Jordanians in the first leg in Amman with a big 5 - 0 win and it would take a near miracle for Jordan to overcome the score deficit and best a stacked Uruguayan team with top talent including Liverpool's Luis Suarez and his strike partner, Paris St Germain's Edinson Cavani.
    Uruguay Coach Oscar Tabarez, who is expected to name an unchanged team, seemed to not be taking anything for granted.

    "This is a serious game. We are not going to hold a training session. Just like always, the team we put on the pitch is (chosen) according to our opponent and the circumstances. So we're not just giving minutes to a player who doesn't have them. They have to earn it on their team or when they have the chance during an upcoming game, but that is not the case for Wednesday's game," Tabarez said.
    When asked how he would keep his team motivated the coach said he did not expect any complacency from his side.

    "We're human beings and footballers often feel their motivation according to their needs. When there's no need there's no motivation but I think as we get nearer the match and we're reaching that setting and these people, these things will fall in place and I hope we can fulfil our objective which is to play a very good match," he added.
    The Uruguayans suffered a form slump in 2012 that jeopardised their qualification chances but were desperate to make it to Brazil, given the rivalry with their northern neighbours and the memory of the 'Maracanazo'.
    Before kick-off the hosts will honour 86-year-old Alcides Ghiggia who scored the winning goal and is the sole survivor of the 2-1 upset victory over Brazil that gave Uruguay their second world title in the 1950 final at the Maracana.
    Cavani said the side was a force to be reckoned with.

    "I think, well, what happened in that World Cup [Brazil 1950] left a big mark on the Brazilian people and to go against Uruguay today I think, not just for Brazil, but for any team in the world, is an undertaking and is a very tough game. And I've also heard - a few comments have reached me - that there are other teams that aren't happy with the qualification Uruguay's possible qualification. I think this is respect that the team has earned over time with the maturing of the players in this group. So for us, we are proud to know that they don't sympathize very much with our team in a competition because it means it has strengthened and that a solid group has formed with great players who represent our country in different parts of the world and they represent it well," said Cavani who scored a brilliant fifth goal with a venomous free kick in last week's first leg.
    Uruguay are two-time World Cup champions and were semi-finalists at the 2010 World Cup in South Africa.
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