PSV Eindhoven forward Jefferson Farfan would miss the start of the new Eredivisie season after discovering his ankle injury is worse than 1st thought.
The 22 year old, who scored 25 goals for the champions last season, sustained the injury during Peru's match against Bolivia at in the summer's Copa America tournament.
However, initial expects that the problem maybe quickly overcome were scuppered by the news of a small fracture to his left ankle.
The forward will have a plaster cast removed in 2 weeks in the hope of resuming light training before the start of the club's title defence against Heracles Almelo on August 19.
05 07 2007
Peru forward Jefferson Farfan has sustained a badly swollen ankle even though he still had a chance of featuring in the Copa America, team doctor Hugo Blacido mentioned Wednesday.
'It is rather worrying because the ankle is very painful,' Blacido informed the RPP radio station from Venezuela.
'From a medical point of view, in an ordinary person, it would not be probable to recover in 4 or 5 days. However, we hope that with Jefferson's muscular strength and his determination, he can be ready in time.'
Peru grabbed a 2-2 draw with Bolivia Tuesday to finish 2nd in Group A and qualify for the quarter-finals.
They face the eventual Group C winners, either Paraguay or Argentina, in Barquisimeto Sunday.
Farfan limped off at halftime and was seen leaving the stadium in an ambulance.
'Today (Wednesday), the swelling has gone down a lot compared to the previous day,' Blacido added.
Forward Claudio Pizarro, who scored both Peru goals, praised coach Julio Cesar Uribe's tactics inspite of their dismal performance.
Uribe made sweeping changes for Tuesday's game in which Peru twice trailed before snatching an 85th minute goal to give them the draw they needed to reached the quarter-finals.
'We did things the way they had to be done and I fully back Julio Cesar,' mentioned Pizarro.
'Bolivia got through our defence very easily. Fortunately, they were not ruthless in attack as Argentina or Brazil could have been.
27 06 2007
Bolivia and Peru were the big winners on day one of the Copa America 2007. The honour of getting the tournament underway fell to the 4 sides in Group A, and there is a surprise immediately as an inspired Peru brushed aside Oscar Tabarez's unrecognisable Uruguay side.
Later in the day, battling Bolivia pulled off a little shock of their own when they grabbed a late equaliser to secure a creditable 2-2 draw against the hosts.
Peru kicked the tournament off with an unexpectedly comprehensive 3-0 defeat of Uruguay in front of 42,000 fans at the Estadio Metropolitano in Merida. Even with captain Diego Lugano and Villarreal goal machine Diego Forlan in their ranks, the Celeste had no answer to the stylish football produced by Julio Cesar Uribe's men.
The Peruvians made their intentions clear from the start, lining up a formidable 3 pronged strike force formed by Chelsea's Claudio Pizarro, Jefferson Farfan of PSV Eindhoven and Hamburg hitman Paolo Guerrero. Nevertheless, it was defender Miguel Villalta who got the party started 26 minutes in when he headed past Fabian Carini from a corner for the 1st goal of the tournament.
Peru keeper Leao Butron somehow kept his side ahead on the stroke of half time, superbly tipping Fabian Estoyanoff's powerful drive over the bar.
Coach Tabarez reinforced the Charrua front line at the interval, bringing on Cristian Rodriguez to partner Forlan. The tactical switch failed to pay off as Peru held firm before doubling their advantage midway through the 2nd half, Juan Carlos Marino galloping away down the right and unleashing an unstoppable 25-yard drive past the helpless Carini. Guerrero completed an eye catching triumph 2 minutes from time when he tapped home Andres Mendoza's inviting pass.
Following a colourful opening ceremony in front of more than 40,000 fans at the Estadio Pueblo Nuevo in San Cristobal, Venezuela and Bolivia locked horns in the other Group A tie. Surprisingly, it was the visitors who came out of the blocks faster, forcing Richard Paez to make a tactical adjustment or 2 from the touchline.
The Vinotinto coach was promptly rewarded for his reshuffle when Giancarlo Maldonado put the hosts ahead with 20 minutes on the clock, the man from Chilean club O'Higgins powering a drive past Sergio Galarza to set the packed stadium alight.
With the home side reportedly content to sit on their lead, the Bolivians pushed forward in search of an equaliser. 7 minutes before the break, they got their reward when Jaime Moreno's cross deflected off Alejandro Cichero to leave Renny Vega in the Venezuela goal stranded.
The pattern remained mostly the same in the 2nd half, as the enterprising visitors looked to ram home their superiority. Ricardo Paez had other ideas however, pouncing several calamitous Bolivian defending to push the ball past Galarza and have given the hosts a somewhat undeserved lead.
Once again Paez's charges fell back into their own half, content to play for time, only for the policy to backfire 8 minutes from the end when Corinthians forward Juan Carlos Arce stole in to head home a Diego Cabrera cross, bringing the celebrations in the stands to an abrupt end.
The spotlight next falls on Group A on Saturday when Bolivia take on Uruguay, and Venezuela battle it out with early leaders Peru, who are sitting proudly on top of the group with 3 points.
The tournament continues Wednesday as Group B kicks off with 2 games at the Estadio Polideportivo Cachamay in the city of Puerto Ordaz. The double bill starts with Chile's clash against Ecuador, with eternal favourites and reigning champions Brazil then taking on Mexico.
12 06 2007
New Chelsea recruit Claudio Pizarro was included in Peru's 26 man preliminary team for the Copa America.
Pizarro, who completed a free transfer switch from Bayern Munich to Stamford Bridge earlier this month, is one of 10 overseas based players included in Julio Cesar Uribe's party.
Goalkeeper Leao Butron and forward Pedro Garcia, who helped Universidad San Martin triumph their 1st Peruvian championship this season, are also included.
Forward Roberto Jimenez, who joins Santiago Acasiete, Alberto Rodriguez, Juan Vargas, Walter Vilchez, Emilio Martin Hidalgo, Andres Mendoza, Paolo Guerrero and Jefferson Farfan in the squad, was part of the San Lorenzo team who lifted the Clausura title in Argentina.
Peru were drawn in Group A alongside hosts Venezuela, Bolivia and Uruguay.
