Tabarez focused on crucial qualifiers

Uruguay head coach Oscar Tabarez has immediately turned his attention to World Cup qualifying following the Confederations Cup.

Although Tabarez said he was ‘sad’ that Uruguay failed to claim third place at the Confederations Cup, losing the play-off to Italy 3-2 on penalties, the 66-year-old coach made it clear his team’s priority is their four World Cup qualifiers in September and October.

Uruguay sit fifth in CONMEBOL’s World Cup qualifying standings, which would only earn them a two-legged play-off against the Asian Football Confederation’s fifth-best team, and Tabarez wants his side to push into the top four to earn automatic qualification to Brazil 2014.

“After a friendly game with Japan (in August), we are going to focus on World Cup qualifying,” Tabarez said.

“We have four more games and for us all of them will be finals because we are going to play Peru, that is a direct rival, and later against three teams that are in the top of the table.

“It is very difficult but this group has big experience … that could allow us to reach our goal.”

After their match against Peru, Uruguay will face Colombia, travel to Ecuador and host Argentina in their final three games of the CONMEBOL group.

Uruguay just missed out in Sunday’s third-place play-off against Italy, coming from behind twice through Edinson Cavani to draw 2-2 but Gianluigi Buffon made three saves for the Italians to clinch victory in the penalty shootout.

“We wanted the third place, we feel sad because we didn’t get it but nobody can deny that we overcome difficulties,” Tabarez said.

“We put everything while facing a great team, we came from behind two times but all these things are now part of our experience and we will try to get advantage of it in the future.”

Speaking after the game, Cavani, who along with Luis Suarez converted his penalty, paid tribute to Italy’s captain Buffon.

“Buffon is a great goalkeeper and it is not because I said it,” Cavani said.

“He has demonstrated during his career that he is a champion so congratulations to him and to Italy because it was a good match played in a high intensity and they deserved to win.”