Scorer Valdez "100% In The Starting Eleven"

First Team
Thursday, 01.06.2006 / 14:45

With the only goal of the night, Nelson Valdez gave his national side Paraguay a 1:0 win in a friendly against Georgia. The Werder man, Who will become a Borussia Dortmund player from 30.06.2006, scored the decisive goal in the 37th minute.

With the only goal of the night, Nelson Valdez gave his national side Paraguay a 1:0 win in a friendly against Georgia. The Werder man, Who will become a Borussia Dortmund player from 30.06.2006, scored the decisive goal in the 37th minute. 6,500 spectators watched the game in Dornbirn, Austria. Valdez was selected in national coach Anibal Ruiz's starting eleven.

 

The goal for the Werder striker was another step towards securing a place in the battle to make the World Cup first team. Confidently he commented: "I'm still relatively new in the team but my team mates see me as an important member of the side. I know the trainer used eight different strikers in qualifying but I consider myself to be 100% in the first team." Valdez may have the injury to Roque Santa Cruz to thank for his recent selection but the young striker is still saddened by his team mates situation: "I was completely convinced that Roque and I would play together. We were the strike duo for the last few qualifying games and that worked out wonderfully."

 

Prior to the win against Georgia, Valdez and his team colleagues had been through a few turbulant days. Just 24 hours before, and three days ahead of schedule, the Paraguay national squad left their trainings camp in Flachau, Austria and took up residence at their quarters at the Sport School in Oberhaching. The official welcoming event will not take place until Friday though as that was the official arrival date.

 

Sportingly it has been a positive period for Paraguay. Despite a weakened team who were missing top players such as Carlos Gamarra, Justo Villar, Nelson Valdez and Roque Santa Cruz, the "B" team managed an impressive 1:1 draw against Denmark at the weekend. At the last World Cup in 2002, Paraguay were eliminated in the second round by Germany (1:0). This time round the South Americans will play in Group B and face England (10.06.2006 in Frankfurt), Sweden (15.06.2006 in Berlin) und den World Cup debutants Trinidad and Tobago (20.06.2006 in Kaiserslautern). Valdez is optimistic about his sides chances: "First of all we want to get through the group phase but we have dreams of making the last four. We want to get to the semi-finals."

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