Trinidad and Tobago's Soca Warriors are playing Peru on May 10 at the National Stadium in Port of Spain because they want to have some experience against a team that is South American and also play a similar style to Paraguay their third round preliminary opponent at the World Cup Finals in Germany.
Peru are ranked as the 66th best football-playing country in the world and while they are no Brazil, they should provide a good test for the Soca Warriors in their final home match before the World Cup Finals. Something about Peru' style of play has made it hard for Paraguay to beat them. While Paraguay have beaten Argentina 1-0 and drawn 0-0 with Brazil in World Cup qualifying they lost 4-1 to Peru and drew 1-1.
Among Peru's most influential players is midfielder Walter Palacios, who was last year voted the Best Foreigner in the Ecuadorian League. Just last month Palacios led the scorers in Ecuador with a hat-trick for Liga Deportiva Universitaria Quito against El Nacional. Although already 33 years old, Palacios recently indicated to the Peru football authorities that he wants to be considered for the 2010 World Cup campaign because he is still supremely fit and committed to the national team. Palacios may very well be one of the players in the Peru side for the Trinidad and Tobago game. Peru have may other quality players but it is questionable whether they will be here for the game against Trinidad and Tobago. Among the big names is free-kick specialist Nobert Solano, who is making a name for himself in England with Newcastle United. They also have Bayern Munich's Claudio Pizzarro, Paolo Guerrero (Bayern Munich), and PSV Eindhoven's Jefferson Farfan.
PLAYERS PERU USED DURING 2006 WORLD CUP QUALIFYING:
Juan Ascencio Flores (Goalkeeper, Universitario );' Leo Gotuzzo Butron (Goalkeeper, Alianza Lima); Norberto Solano (Midfielder, Aston Villa); Luis Guadalupe (Defender, Universitario); Santiago Acasiete (Defender , Almeira SAD (Spain); Miguel Villata (Defender Sporting Cristal); Juan Manuel Vargas (Defender, Colon de Santa Fé (Argentina); Walter Soto Vilchez - (Defender Olimpo de Bahia Blanca (Argentina); Miguel Rebosio (Defender, Union Dep. Almeira SAD (Spain); José Zambrano Mendoza (Defender, Universitario); Hildo Salas (Midfielder , FBC Melgar); Juan José Jaya (Midfielder Alianza Lima); Juan C. Bazalar ; Juan Comingez (Midfielder, Colón de Santa Fé (Argentina)); Roberto Palacios (Midfielder, Liga Deportiva Universitaria Quito (Ecuador)); Juan C. La Rosa (Midfielder, Cienciano); Carlos Ismodes (Midfielder, Univ. San Martin de Porres); Julio César Garcia (Midfielder, Morelia (Mexico)); Claudio Pizarro (Bayern Munich ); Jefferson Farfan (PSV Eindhoven); Paolo Guerrero (Bayern Munich ); Gustavo Vassalo (Sport Boys).