Tabárez Makes Crucial Call Up

Oscar Washington Tabárez not only has to deal with the pressure that the Uruguayan media is putting on him, but he will have to play two vital games against direct rivals that are fighting for one of those direct spots to South Africa 2010. Uruguay is currently in sixth place and depending on how they do in matchdays seven and eight they could see themselves in the driver’s seat or on the way out with Tabárez looking for employment.

Uruguay will head to Colombia where they will face the only unbeaten team in the CONMEBOL qualifiers up to now. The last time that the Charrúas played in Colombia, they were torched by 5-0, but that game was in the heat of Barranquilla instead of the altitude of Bogota. They will then head back home to take part in a midweek clash against an Ecuador side that is no longer just a team that obtains their points in Quito. They were 30 seconds away from obtaining their first-ever victory in Buenos Aires until Rodrigo Palacio’s miracle header salvaged a point for the Albiceleste.

GOALKEEPERS: Juan Castillo (Botafogo-BRA); Fabián Carini (Murcia-ESP), Martín Silva (Defensor Sporting).

DEFENDERS: Diego Lugano (Fenerbahce_TUR ); Diego Godín (Villarreal-ESP), Martín Cáceres (Barcelona-ESP); Jorge Fucile (Porto-POR); Bruno Silva (Ajax-NED), Carlos Valdez (Reggina- ITA), Andrés Scotti (Argentinos Juniors-ARG).

MIDFIELDERS: Diego Pérez (Mónaco-FRA); Maximiliano Pereira (Benfica-POR); Alvaro González (Boca Juniors-ARG); Walter Gargano (Napoli-ITA); Sebastián Eguren (Villarreal-ESP); Cristian Rodríguez (Porto-POR); Ignacio González (Valencia-ESP), Robert Flores (River Plate), Jorge Rodríguez (River Plate).

FORWARDS: Diego Forlán (Atlético Madrid-ESP); Luis Suárez (Ajax-NED); Sebastián Abreu (Beitar Jerusalem-ISR); Vicente Sánchez (Schalke 04-GER), Carlos Bueno (Peñarol).