The Peruvian team will reach the semifinal of the Copa América “with ambitions” and convinced that it can surpass Brazil, according to the Argentine Ricardo Gareca, coach of the Andean country team.
“When it comes to this instance, beyond the certain favoritism, statistics or what the specialists and experts say, the teams have their ambitions and we also have them,” said Gareca on the eve of the semifinals at dawn. from Monday to Tuesday against Brazil, in which the pass to the final of the tournament will be at stake.
Gareca wanted to avoid comparisons with the 2019 Copa América final, which his team lost to Brazil, and also with this year's group stage match, in which the 'canarinha' thrashed Peru 4-0 just ago two weeks.
He did not fail to acknowledge that “Brazil is still a very powerful team”, but he also appreciated Peru's progress throughout the tournament. “Our present has also been improving and we are in a position to improve what we have done so far,” he said.
“We trust in making a good game,” said Gareca, who considered that his team “is improving” and is made up of “a group with young and experienced people,” among which some players already have “more than 100 games. international “.
Gareca admitted that to play against Brazil, which has immense attacking power, the Peruvian defense scheme will have to improve.
However, he clarified that “the defensive sector has to do with the whole team”, which will have to offer its best version to be able to overcome the Brazilians.
Corzo: “We must improve many things in defense”
The central Aldo Corzo agreed with Gareca at the same press conference and admitted that Peru must “improve many things in defense”, which clarified that it is part of a “collective work.”
Although he admitted that the win against Brazil in the group stage was “a hard blow”, he stressed that the Peruvian team surpassed him, became “strong”, “improved a lot and prevailed over adversity”, so he does not doubt that they will play “a good game” and that they have a real chance of reaching a new Copa América final.
The match will be played at the Nilson Nelson stadium in Rio de Janeiro, and the winner will face Argentina or Colombia in the final, which will play the other semifinal at dawn from Tuesday to Wednesday.