Alfaro Finalizes Paraguay Squad Ahead of Crucial World Cup Qualifiers

Paraguay's national team coach, Gustavo Alfaro, has finalized his 27-man squad for the upcoming South American World Cup qualifiers. As reported by ABC Color, the team is set to face Uruguay this Thursday at 8:00 PM at Defensores del Chaco Stadium, followed by a match against Brazil in São Paulo five days later at 9:45 PM.

The upcoming fixture against Uruguay holds significance as it revisits Alfaro's debut match with Paraguay, which ended in a goalless draw in September 2024. That game also saw the return of Julio Enciso and the debut of Isidro Pitta, along with Junior Fernández reclaiming the goalkeeper position and Damián Bobadilla making his first appearance.

Captain Gustavo Gómez, who missed the previous double-header due to injury, is back in the lineup. However, eight players are on the verge of suspension due to accumulated yellow cards: Cubas, Bobadilla, Almirón, Sández, Galarza, Fernández, Pitta, and Velázquez.

In Alfaro's debut, the starting lineup featured Junior Fernández; Gustavo Velázquez, Gustavo Gómez, Omar Alderete, and Junior Alonso; Miguel Almirón, Andrés Cubas, Damián Bobadilla, and Diego Gómez; Julio Enciso and Isidro Pitta.

With the squad now complete and bolstered by experience, Paraguay aims to secure crucial points in their quest for World Cup qualification, facing two formidable opponents in this double-header.