The Uruguayan soccer coach, Diego Alonso, anticipated this Sunday a “balanced match” against Portugal, “like the one they have all been” in the 2022 World Cup, and praised the “variability” of options in the Portuguese team.
“We respect all the rivals. We have already seen the balance that has been verified in the matches of this World Cup. In fact, Portugal also had difficulties against Ghana. We want to win, that’s why we are here, but we know that each one gives the best of yes and the result that is possible”, he said, at a press conference.
Alonso, who was ahead of the game of the second day of Group H, scheduled for Monday, highlighted the “deep knowledge” that the Portuguese players have of each other, together with the longevity of Fernando Santos at the helm of the “quinas” team.
“They have great variability in the game, it is a complete team, very good. In addition to all the individualities they have, they still have a coach who has led them for a long time. But we also have our weapons, our virtues, which make us equally dangerous,” said the 47-year-old former soccer player, who played for clubs like Valencia, Atlético de Madrid or Peñarol.
Diego Alonso, who at the end of last year replaced the “legendary” Óscar Tabárez at the head of the “charruas”, refused even though there is some point of comparison with the duel between the two teams in the 2018 World Cup, in which the Uruguayans won 2-1 and eliminated the Portuguese team in the round of 16.
“All the games have different histories. I don’t think this game is the same. There are many different players from that time. We will try to be competitive and win a game that will surely be very balanced,” he assumed, considering that having the Sporting Coates players available and Ugarte, and the former Benfica Darwin Núñez “is not an advantage” in terms of knowledge of the Portuguese team.
Portugal and Uruguay will play on Monday, at 10:00 p.m. local time (7:00 p.m. in Lisbon), at the Estádio de Lusail, in a match for the second day of Group H of the 2022 World Cup.
The “quinas” team, which beat Ghana (3-2) in its debut, leads the group, with three points, ahead of South Korea, Paulo Bento, and Uruguay, both with one point, while the Ghanaians, who face the South Koreans on the same day, follow the ‘zero’.
The 22nd edition of the World Championship will run until December 18 in Qatar.
Source: TSF
