Suarez credits team harmony
Source: Agencies |
July 22, 2011, Friday
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URUGUAY'S long-time cohesion and squad harmony has helped the team overcome a poor start to the Copa America and reach the final, striker Luis Suarez said on Wednesday.
Suarez has scored three goals in five matches, including both in Uruguay's 2-0 semifinal win over Peru on Tuesday night. Uruguay will play Paraguay in Sunday's final at the Monumental Stadium in Buenos Aires.
"The group's mentality is the same as it was before and during the World Cup," said Suarez, who helped Uruguay finish fourth in last year's finals in South Africa.
"This is a very even Copa America, we didn't start well and there's little time between matches (to correct things)," the Liverpool striker told a news conference at the team's Buenos Aires hotel.
With 12 teams divided into three groups, there are less days between matches at the Copa America than the World Cup finals and regional heavyweights, host Argentina and holder Brazil who are in the early stages of team building, were eliminated in the quarterfinals.
Uruguay finished second in its group after 1-1 draws with Peru and Chile and a 1-0 win over Mexico and it eliminated old rival Argentina on penalties in their quarterfinal.
Suarez and Diego Forlan have had to alter their roles as Uruguay's strike force when Edinson Cavani, the third member of their World Cup attacking trident, was injured in their second match against Chile. "With Edi's absence, the coach sent me to play more as a No. 9 but I'm comfortable with that," Suarez said.
Forlan has failed to find the net in the tournament but Suarez said that was not critical given his teammate's importance to the team in many other aspects. "It doesn't matter who scores the goals."
His comments demonstrate the team's ethic which can be attributed to coach Oscar Tabarez taking the reins for the second time in 2006.
Suarez has scored three goals in five matches, including both in Uruguay's 2-0 semifinal win over Peru on Tuesday night. Uruguay will play Paraguay in Sunday's final at the Monumental Stadium in Buenos Aires.
"The group's mentality is the same as it was before and during the World Cup," said Suarez, who helped Uruguay finish fourth in last year's finals in South Africa.
"This is a very even Copa America, we didn't start well and there's little time between matches (to correct things)," the Liverpool striker told a news conference at the team's Buenos Aires hotel.
With 12 teams divided into three groups, there are less days between matches at the Copa America than the World Cup finals and regional heavyweights, host Argentina and holder Brazil who are in the early stages of team building, were eliminated in the quarterfinals.
Uruguay finished second in its group after 1-1 draws with Peru and Chile and a 1-0 win over Mexico and it eliminated old rival Argentina on penalties in their quarterfinal.
Suarez and Diego Forlan have had to alter their roles as Uruguay's strike force when Edinson Cavani, the third member of their World Cup attacking trident, was injured in their second match against Chile. "With Edi's absence, the coach sent me to play more as a No. 9 but I'm comfortable with that," Suarez said.
Forlan has failed to find the net in the tournament but Suarez said that was not critical given his teammate's importance to the team in many other aspects. "It doesn't matter who scores the goals."
His comments demonstrate the team's ethic which can be attributed to coach Oscar Tabarez taking the reins for the second time in 2006.
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