Uruguay v Venezuela: Gonzalez looking to avoid failure

Alvaro Gonzalez has stressed it would be a failure if Uruguay do not qualify for the Copa America Centenario knockout stages as they prepare for their second Group C encounter against Venezuela.

Uruguay were beaten 3-1 by Mexico on matchday one and cannot afford a repeat performance if they are to finish in the top two.

Gonzalez is well aware of the importance of Thursday’s encounter and has urged his team-mates to show what they are made of.

“The match against Venezuela will be like a final,” the midfielder said at a news conference.

“We have to show that we are an experienced team and know how to play with our backs against the wall. Venezuela will be looking to seal qualification against us.

“It would be a failure if we fail to qualify for the next round. But we are capable of dealing with the pressure. We have to go for it right from the start.

“We are not thinking about potentially meeting Argentina in the quarter-finals. Qualification is at stake against Venezuela.”

Uruguay are expected to be without star attacker Luis Suarez again as the Barcelona forward continues to recover from a muscular problem.

Venezuela, meanwhile, will be high on confidence following their 1-0 win over Jamaica in their opening game.

A win over Uruguay could see them book their ticket for the quarter-finals and Arquimedes Figuera is eagerly anticipating the match in Philadelphia.

“Uruguay will be desperate to bounce back,” Figuera told DirecTV.

“We are calm because the pressure is on them to win. We have to head into the game with this mindset.

“We have been playing some good football.”

Uruguay and Venezuela last met in June 2013, when Paris Saint-Germain striker Edinson Cavani netted the only goal of the game in the World Cup qualifier in Ciudad Guayana.