Venezuela vs. Paraguay
In the first match of the Russia 2018 Qualifiers, in a new era for the Vinotinto after the retirement of their historic captain Juan Arango (4:00 p.m. on Movistar TV).
The Venezuelan team that will face Paraguay now has Salomón Rondón, a 26-year-old forward from West Bromwich Albion in the Premier League, as its key player. They have young players in the attack but more experience in a defense led by central defender Oswaldo Vizcarrondo (French Nantes) and right-back Roberto Rosales (Spanish Málaga).
The left-handed Arango, 35, and emblem for 16 years of a team that excited the country with the possibility of reaching the World Cup for the first time, decided to step aside from the Venezuelan national team a month ago after a friendly match with Panama, stating that "my cycle with the national team has ended".
About Arango's absence, Sanvicente declared this Wednesday that "someone has to assume the responsibility of the best player (Venezuelan) of all time" with his exquisite left-foot shot. For that, the Vinotinto coach is thinking of midfielders Luis Manuel Seijas and César González as free-kick and corner kick takers.
In his opinion, the Venezuelan team playing at home has to go out and win "without a doubt" against Paraguay, because "winning at home gives you 90% of the power to qualify, we have to get the most points (at home) and for that we have to be daring."
Venezuela's proposal, according to Sanvicente's words, will be to be "decisive in everything, physically. Be intelligent when it's necessary to step back or when it's necessary to press" to recover the ball near Paraguay's area.
In this new Vinotinto without their historic top scorer (Arango and Giancarlo Maldonado top the list with 22 goals), the captain's armband was inherited by Genoa's Italian midfielder Tomás Rincón, who is essential in Sanvicente's scheme to bring balance, defense, ball control, and personality to the Venezuelan midfield.
Paraguay's Renaissance?
On the other side, the Paraguayan team hopes to consolidate the good sensations left in the Copa America Chile 2015, in which the Paraguayans, led by the acclaimed Argentine coach Ramón Díaz, reached the semi-finals and were defeated 6-1 by Argentina and Messi.
Paraguay had been eliminated in the qualifiers for the 2014 World Cup, finishing last among nine South American teams with only 12 points and 13 points behind the fifth-placed team that qualified for the play-offs.
"I'm sure that Paraguay will have a great qualifying campaign," Díaz emphasized. "There are no favorites in the qualifiers. The match (against Venezuela) will be tough but we have what it takes and we are going to make ourselves respected. I'm sure we will play a good match."
Among the Paraguayans, stand out the forward Derlis González from Dynamo Kiev, who will be the driving force in the visiting attack, and the well-known forwards Nelson Haedo Valdez (Seattle Sounders) and Lucas Barrios (Palmeiras).
Also in the squad are veteran defender Paulo César da Silva, 35, who plays for Deportivo Toluca in Mexico, and winger Edgar Benítez, 27, who plays for Querétaro in Mexico.
POSSIBLE LINE-UPS
Venezuela: Alain Baroja - Roberto Rosales, Oswaldo Vizcarrondo, Fernando Amorebieta, Gabriel Cíchero - Tomás Rincón, Luis Manuel Seijas, Alejandro Guerra, Ronald Vargas - Josef Martínez, Salomón Rondón. Coach: Noel Sanvicente.
Paraguay: Víctor Centurion - Miguel Samudio, Paulo César da Silva, Gustavo Gómez, Pablo Aguilar, Iván Piris - Eduardo Aranda, Víctor Cáceres, Néstor Ortigoza, Rodrigo Rojas - Derlis González, Lucas Barrios. Coach: Ramón Díaz.