'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,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'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
If one thing was clear from Paraguay’s sensational comeback against Argentina in their tournament opener, it was the fact they weren’t going to roll over and quit against superior opposition. The spirit of Tata Martino’s famous team of 2011 was seen in this Albirojja squad too, with everybody putting in a shift. Thus, pinpointing one, or even five players out from a side which definitely is greater than the sum of its parts, is a hard task indeed.
But, with the domestic seasons just behind us, as well as the tournament opener, certain players from Ramon Diaz’s team have stood out. And, needless to say, they’ll play a large part in how the Guaranis fare, as we go into the next few weeks of Copa America 2015.
5) Pablo Aguilar
Argentina must have wished they had a rock at the back like Aguilar after they let slip a two-goal lead on Saturday. The Club America defender is strong in the air, reads the game well, and tackles like a bulldog. Coming back from a fantastic club campaign where he won the Liga MX Apertura 2014, as well as the 2014/15 CONCACAF Champions League, Aguilar’s career graph is at an all time high. And so is his confidence.
With ties against Uruguay and Jamaica coming up, and also a potential quarter-final with the hosts Chile, on the horizon, the Albirroja defence will have their task cut out. And, with Paulo Da Silva tiring, and the likes of Samudio and Caceres failing to impress in the opener, the onus falls on Pablo Cesar Aguilar to marshal the defence.
If the opening fixture was any indication, marshal them, he will.
4) Richard Ortiz
The Asuncion native, known for his lung-busting runs and fierce shots from distance, has the chance to show his worth over the next two matches after playing only the first half against Argentina. The youngster, who has been outstanding for the national team over the last two years, is equally adept at playing on the left side of midfield as well as playing in a wing back position.
Defensively sound and intelligent on the ball, it is his versatility that prompted the likes of AS Roma, Olympique Marseille, Lille and West Ham United, among others, to look up and take notice. A good showing at the Copa will raise his profile infinitely. His time is now.
3) Raul Bobadilla
Raul Bobadilla is a real enigma. A multi-skilled forward who can trouble any defence on his day, the Augsburg striker can also be an anonymous paperweight on other days. Against Argentina, he was a mixture of both, as he looked bright on the ball, but didn't offer much without it.
However, the forward who made his international bow only earlier this year, is a major hope for the Albirroja in the goal-scoring department, with his showings in the Bundesliga powering the German minnows to a Europa League spot. A similar performance from the Argentinean born forward will go a long way in determining where Paraguay end up in this edition of the Copa America.
The former Borussia Monchengladbach and FC Basel maverick needs to raise his bar at least one notch higher than he did at La Serena earlier this weekend in order to do that. The fact that he can blow hot and cold without rhyme or reason is indeed a double-edged sword. Be warned, opposition defences. On his day, Bobadilla can tear any defence apart. Even Bayern Munich will agree, after his backheel goal against them last season.
2) Derlis Gonzalez
Arguably the biggest surprise in Ramon Diaz’s team selection for the opener was the absence of Derlis Gonzalez in attack. The electric winger, touted as the next big thing of Paraguayan and even South American football, is probably the only player in the Albirroja team who can turn a match on its head with one precocious piece of sorcery.
Indeed, the fact that they went on to score two goals after his introduction is no coincidence though he didn’t play a direct part in either of them. While Haedo Valdez vindicated his selection over the youngster, it is tough to see the latter being ignored for the remaining matches.
The 21-year old has already proved in his fledgling career that he isn’t afraid of the limelight. The bigger the stage, the brighter he shines. In fact, his goals against FC Porto, Ludogorets Razgrad and most impressively, the one he scored against Real Madrid at the Santiago Bernabeu in his debut Champions League campaign, are all testament to his big match temperament.
1) Roque Santa Cruz
The flagbearer of Paraguayan football for well over a decade now, the shadow of Santa Cruz still looms large over the Guaranis, though his influence and presence in the team has diminished ever so slightly. The former Bayern Munich number 9 still leads the line for his national team at the age of 33, though he faces stiff competition from the likes of Nelson Haedo Valdez and Lucas Barrios. If anything, he has managed to stand his ground as his brace against Honduras last week showed.
The darling of Ewood Park holds the key to Paraguay unlocking defences, with his uncanny knack of scoring vital goals with both his feet and his head, being of vital importance to a team, which doesn’t create too many chances. The archetypal finisher, the former Manchester City and Malaga forward, has to put his wealth of experience to use in order to catapult his team any further than the predicted quarter-finals.
However, with a history of punching above their weight, Paraguay and Roque Santa Cruz can call upon the memories of the FIFA World Cup 2010 as well as the 2011 Copa America for inspiration. And with this edition of the Copa being most certainly his final international tournament, Santa Cruz would be gunning to finish a storied career on a high.
