The Uruguayan Football Association (AUF) recently unveiled the roster of 22 talented players selected by coach Pablo Herrera to represent Uruguay in the upcoming South American U-17 Championship, scheduled to take place from April 24 to May 9 in Paraguay. This prestigious tournament is crucial as Uruguay aims to secure one of the four spots available for the World Cup in Morocco later this year. In order to achieve this goal, the team must first navigate through Group B, which includes formidable opponents such as Brazil, Venezuela, Ecuador, and Peru.
On the other hand, Group A features Paraguay, Argentina, Colombia, Bolivia, and Chile. The initial phase of the tournament will follow a round-robin format, where each team will compete against one another, and the top three teams from each group will advance to the final stage. The top two teams from each group will face off in the semifinals, while the third-placed teams will have another chance to qualify for the World Cup by competing against the semifinal losers.
The winners of these matches, along with the two finalists, will qualify for the World Cup, making this tournament a critical pathway to international competition for the young athletes involved. The Uruguayan delegation departed for Paraguay on Wednesday morning, eager to represent their country and make their mark on the continental stage.
Here is the list of players selected for the tournament:
- Goalkeepers: Sahiara Carballo (Nacional), Luzmila Duarte (Nacional)
- Defenders: Morena Cruz (Nacional), Maisha Vázquez (Nacional), Alma Toledo (Liverpool), Rocío Frachia (Liverpool), Milagros Fernández (Peñarol), Francesca Passadore (DFC), Antonella Cordero (Defensor Sporting), Agustina Didak (Defensor Sporting)
- Midfielders: Lara Colmán (DFC), Candelaria Ibarra (Nacional), Paulina Morena (Nacional), Luciana Jourdan (Nacional), Martina Cappo (Liverpool), Micaela da Silveira (Peñarol), Zoe Suárez (Peñarol)
- Forwards: Camila Rijo (Liverpool), Oriana Tola (Liverpool), Romina Acosta (Peñarol), Siamara Sánchez (Peñarol), Cándida Bentancur (Nacional)
The fixtures for the group stage are as follows:
- Uruguay vs. Peru - Estadio Ameliano, 17:00 hours
- Uruguay vs. Brazil - Estadio Ameliano, 20:00 hours
- Venezuela vs. Uruguay - Estadio Ameliano, 17:00 hours
- Ecuador vs. Uruguay - Estadio Ameliano, 17:00 hours
As reported by montevideo.com.uy.