BUENOS AIRES, Argentina — Uruguay will not rest on their laurels as they prepare to go up against Paraguay in Sunday's Copa America final, says Luis Suarez, semi-final hero against Peru.
The Liverpool forward's brace of goals means the celeste now stand on the threshold of what would be a record 15th title - breaking their current logjam with quarter-final victims Argentina.
"We'll not forget about those titles (but) we are thinking about the present, about carrying on winning. Uruguay are not going to waste time celebrating past achievements and past titles won," said Suarez.
Should the 24-year-old score in Sunday's final he would likely end up as top scorer - he is currently joint-top marksman with Argentina's Sergio Aguero on three goals.
But "being top scorer is not the important thing for me - the main issue is the collective dream of winning the Copa. Personal stuff is secondary to that," insists Suarez.
Suarez, who joined Liverpool from Ajax last season, gives coach Oscar Tabarez much of the credit for transforming Uruguayan fortunes.
Tabarez took over in 2006 and led the side to the World Cup semi-finals last season but the coach himself stressed after the win over Peru that it was laying the groundwork at more junior levels which was the foundation of the team's recent good form, with youngsters coming through the ranks.
"The under20 team has been doing well, qualifying for the London Olympics, while the under17 side were runners-up at their world championship and we were fourth at the World Cup in South Africa. Now we are in the final of the Copa," said Suarez.
Defender Sebastian Coates came through from the under20 side. He has been doing well at the tournament here and says the Tabarez method is paying handsome dividends.
"It was very useful for me to cut my teeth with the under20 team and also important to have played with the under 17s.
Raul Fernandez into a diving save and the ever alert Suarez nipped in to score from a tight angle on the right. Suarez scored again three minutes later when Alvaro Pereira passed from the left and the striker collected the ball, rounded Fernandez on the edge of the box and steered it gently home.
Peru captain Juan Vargas was sent off in the 69th minute for elbowing Uruguay defender Sebastian Coates in the face.
If I were Batista, I’d quit: Maradona
Diego Maradona has said that were he Argentina coach Sergio Batista he would quit following the side's early Copa America exit.
The Argentine Football Association says it will keep Batista on as coach despite their quarter-final loss on penalties to Uruguay - he only succeeded Maradona after last summer's World Cup quarters loss to Germany. But Maradona says that decision is wrong-headed.
"If I had only beaten Costa Rica, (Argentina's sole Copa success) I would have gone of my own accord," Maradona told Radio Belgrano on Tuesday.
"It’s not the fault of the players. Julio Grondona is doing just what he likes," Maradona asserted. Maradona and Batista were teammates in the side which won the 1986 World Cup but the two have been at loggerheads since Batista took over after the former was forced out.
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