This is how Peru, Argentina’s next rival in the Copa América, plays

This is how Peru, Argentina’s next rival in the Copa América, plays :: Olé

06/28/2024 15:44hs.

With the victories against Canada and Chile in the pocket, the Argentine National Team will appear at Hard Rock Stadium with the advantage of knowing that he has a place among the eight best in the America Cup. However, Scaloneta’s stay in Miami is not bringing good news: Lionel Messi will not even be on the substitute bench, Marcos Acuña suffered an injury and Lionel Scaloni was suspended by Conmebol. AND On the other side will be a Peru that, with its modest weapons, will try to further unsettle the Albiceleste.

Fossati’s Peru: 3-5-2, wide flanks and long balls

Since his appointment in early 2024, Jorge Fossati puts the spotlight on the importance of having a balanced teamcombining a robust and ironclad defense with a fast and lethal offense. Thus, the Uruguayan coach did not beat around the bush and developed a scheme that has given him success throughout his extensive career, in teams such as Danubio, Liga de Quito, Al-Rayyan of Qatar or Universitario of Peru: the 3-5-2.

With the 3-5-2 scheme, Peru is characterized by being a team with character, friction and strong pressure after loss. Their central defenders (Alexander Callens, Carlos Zambrano and Miguel Araujo or Anderson Santamaría) have good aerial play and determination in one-on-one situations. However, they lack the ability to get the ball cleanly out of the goal, so, when under high pressure, They constantly fall back on the need to throw long balls towards the forwards.

Fossati uses the wingers (Andy Polo on the right and Marcos López on the left)) in breadth for several purposes. The first, and most important, is to clear the midfield of players and thus be able to control the ball with Wilder CartagenaSergio Peña and Piero Quispe. The second has to do with the individual imbalance against the rival side, sometimes ending up in a 3-3-4. And the third, in terms of defense, is based not on covering the exit of the full-backs, but on covering passing lines to the side of the 5.

Of the interiors, while Peña is the one who has the most relationship with the exit and the gestation, Quispe is in charge of looking for spaces and connecting with Edison Flores and Gianluca Lapadula in attack, even with the possibility of finding finishing situations. For his part, The Albirroja forwards do not play in a line, but with Lapadula, who has a good aerial game, as a reference and Flores around himwith unmarking movements.

Defensive order, one of Peru’s virtues. (REUTER)

Defensively, Peru maintains a much shorter 3-5-2 between lines in the middle block. The forwards cover the opposing central midfielder, and in the middle, the midfielders do not leave spaces for the opponents to move around. The Albirroja only press when the ball goes to the wings, always with the three midfielders attentive to the movements behind them. However, The offensive power of the Argentine National Team could make them take more precautions than usual and the wingers finally end up at the height of the three defenders, leaving themselves in a 5-3-2.

Among Peru’s weaknesses, four could be highlighted:: 1) Gallese’s poor start from goal; 2) the need to win aerial duels, since at times it is the only way they have to advance and generate danger; 3) the poor coordination between Cartagena and the centre-backs so that there is not much intermediate space; and 4) the one-on-one situations against them when the wing-backs are deployed in attack.

Regardless of the performers (Scaloni announced that he will rotate), it will be interesting to see How Argentina plays on Peru’s desperation to take advantage of the backs of rival wingerswith players like Alejandro Garnacho, Ángel Di María, Valentín Carboni and Nicolás González. At the same time, they could also take advantage of the backs of the inside players (with Lo Celso, for example), to generate 2-1 or 3-2 situations on the outside. If Peru does not win the splits, it does not cause much danger. And if it does not cause much danger, it is better for this one. Scaloneta who has given ample evidence that he knows how to take center stage in the show.

Fossati, the coach, along with Paolo Guerrero, Peru’s historic scorer. (AP)