“For the first time in 36 years” is a context Peru men’s national team has heard often over the last eight months, but judging by how Ricardo Gareca approached his team’s third game of the 2018 World Cup, the phrase hasn’t lost any of its value.
Although the coach’s Blanquirroja, in the World Cup for the first time since 1982, were already precluded from advancing in the tournament, the team setup for their finale against Australia as if the competition was in the balance. Paolo Guerrero? Christian Cueva? Yoshimar Yotún? All key parts of Gareca’s team.