South Africa Mexico Uruguay France
Montevideo's Estadio Centenario was jumping back in November when Uruguay booked their place at the 2010 World Cup finals. La Celeste were forced to take a familiar route as they played their third intercontinental play-off in eight years.
A late surge in form saw Uruguay one win away from leapfrogging Argentina and booking one of South America's four automatic spots but they ended up losing to their neighbours from across the Rio de la Plata in the final round of the CONMEBOL series. In fact Uruguay ended the qualifying campaign just one point ahead of Ecuador and Colombia and two points ahead of Venezuela.
Uruguay's fifth place finish set-up a two match play-off against Costa Rica. Uruguay had been denied entry to Germany 2006 via defeat to Australia after La Celeste had beaten the team from down under four years earlier to progress to South Korea/Japan.
A 1-0 win the first game away in Costa Rica suggested it would be plain sailing for Uruguay to wrap up the tie in Montevideo. There were nervous moments however for the hosts in the second leg as Costa Rica scored to put the tie back on level terms.
Cue captain marvel Diego Lugano popping up and stabbing home a corner to eventually seal Uruguay's passage to South Africa.
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Uruguay |
Uruguay |
Uruguay v France 11 June; Cape
Town
Uruguay v South Africa 16 June; Pretoria
Uruguay v Mexico 22 June; Rustenburg
On one hand being put in group where the seeded team is host nation South Africa is a major coup for Uruguay. Unfortunately for Tabarez's team the other two teams in Group A are Mexico and France.
In light of the draw Uruguay's coach gave his assessment of the size of the task which awaits his team in South Africa.
"I think even though all the games will be difficult none of the three rivals represent an impossible challenge for us." Tabarez said. "We will not know the full reality of the group until we start to play in June next year. I can't say we will win all our games but I know we will be prepared for those matches when they arrive."
"Mexico and France are of course strong teams but they both committed the same sins as us in their qualifying games before finishing strongly." Tabarez added. "I think the group is fairly well distributed. It is not beyond us to move into the knockout rounds and I think a certain level of difficulty has always been a motivation for Uruguayans."
Despite missing out on the World Cup finals in Germany four years ago the Uruguay squad is expected to contain the experienced trio of Diego Forlan, Diego Perez and Sebastian Abreu who all featured in the squad for South Korea/Japan in 2002.
Sebastian Abreu maybe down in the pecking order of strikers but he proved his worth when he came on as a substitute in Costa Rica to net the only goal of the game.
"Our desire and hunger won us the game. The away goal helped us control the game, though we were clinging on a bit at the end. That's always the way with us, it just makes the celebrations better!" Abreu said.
Uruguay's top scorer in the CONMEBOL qualifying series will be 31-years-old when he takes the field for La Celeste's first game against France in South Africa. The Atlético Madrid striker will know in the back of his mind that the 2010 World Cup represents his last shot at the big time and he will be out to grab it with both hands.
Forlan knows what it is like to bag in the World Cup finals after his strike against Senegal eight years ago. He struck seven times in qualifiers for Urugauy including a hat-trick against Peru in Montevideo.
As an experienced member of the squad Forlan lead from the front in Uruguay's crunch World Cup play-off against Costa Rica. He was adept at dropping back into midfield holding up the ball and winning free kicks to retain possession for his team.
Uruguay will need Forlan at his canny and ruthless best if they are to navigate their way out of Group A in South Africa.
While his strike partner's career maybe winding down Luis Suarez is just starting out on his journey in football. After starring for Uruguayan outfit Nacional the youngster was fast tracked to Europe as Groningen of Holland decided to take a risk on him. The gamble paid off immediately as Suarez started banging in the goals.
His performances in the Dutch Eredivisie persuaded Ajax to shell out €7.5 million and since Martin Jol's arrival at the club Suarez has been given the captain's armband at the tender age of 22-years-old.
By the time the World Cup rolls around Suarez will be into double figures for goals scored in the sky blue of Uruguay and he may even be on the move again before the tournament in South Africa kicks off.
Manchester United have already registered an interest in the player and Suarez's exciting brand of play would make him an instant fan's favourite at any of the Champions League's big hitters.
South Africa 2010 will be the second World Cup which Oscar Tabarez has lead his country at after he coached Uruguay 20 years ago in Italy. On that occasion Uruguay were prevented from getting past the first round by Spain and Belgium.
While some have identified Group A as a potential Group of Death, Tabarez has been full of fighting talk ahead of travelling to South Africa.
"It could have been more difficult than it turned out, although I realise that this is a group with the potential for great games." Tabarez said. "We should avoid thinking about this draw like a drama as almost never the World Cup winner has been forced to travel a long way. Let France and Mexico come to the Southern Hemisphere and let us take advantage of playing in conditions that we are well used to."
1962, 1974, 2002 First Round; 1986, 1990 Second Round; 1966 Quarter Finals; 1954, 1970 Fourth place; 1930, 1950 Champions
First round exit on the cards if the Uruguayans' form doesn't improve.
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Finished fifth in the South American qualifying group and beat Costa Rica in a play off.
3.3 million people live in Uruguay, a third of them in the capital
Montevideo.
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After getting their World Cup story off to dream start by winning two early editions of the tournament Uruguay have not advanced past the second round for 30 years. In fact the nation had failed to qualify for the finals on five of the last eight occasions prior to South Africa.
There is quality in the squad, especially up front, but the way Uruguay were made to sweat against Costa Rica did not inspire any confidence in them doing well even before the draw was made.
After the draw the outlook for Uruguay is even bleaker, they kick off against France, then play the hosts and meet Mexico in their third game. I just don't see them winning two of those games so if they do go through it will be a tight affair that's for sure.
Should they sneak out the group the chances are they will meet their old foe Argentina and that clash in a World Cup finals is always worth a look.
Goalkeepers: Fernando Muslera (Lazio), Juan Castillo (Deportivo
Cali), Martin Silva (Defensor Sporting)
Defenders: Diego Lugano (Fenerbahce), Diego Godin (Villarreal),
Andres Scotti (Colo Colo), Jorge Fucile (Porto), Martin Caceres
(Juventus), Mauricio Victorino (Universidad de Chile), Maximiliano
Pereira (Benfica)
Midfielders: Walter Gargano (Napoli), Egidio Arevalo Rios (Penarol),
Sebastian Eguren (AIK Stockholm), Diego Perez (Monaco), Alvaro Pereira
(Porto), Ignacio Gonzalez (Valencia), Nicolas Lodeiro (Ajax), Alvaro
Fernandez (Universidad de Chile)
Forwards: Luis Suarez (Ajax), Diego Forlan (Atletico Madrid),
Sebastian Abreu (Botafogo), Edinson Cavani (Palermo), Sebastian
Fernandez (Banfield Argentina)