New Zealanders have an uphill task against Peru

Wellington, Nov. 9: High-flying Peru open their World Cup play-off against New Zealand on Saturday as redhot favourites to win the twolegged tie and end a 36-year absence from football’s showpiece.

On paper, it should be no contest — “Los Incas” are currently at an all-time high of 10th in the FIFA world rankings, above the likes of England (12), Italy (15) and fellow South Americans Uruguay (17).

Oceania champions New Zealand lie 112 places beneath them and no team in play-off history has overcome such a ranking discrepancy so far.

But Peru suffered a major blow in the lead-up to the first leg in Wellington when goalscoring talisman Paolo Guerrero of Brazilian giants Flamengo was suspended over an “abnormal result” from a drugs test. They also face a potentially tricky opponent in New Zealand, with skipper Winston Reid (West Ham) marshalling the defence and striker Chris Wood (Burnley) looking to continue his fine form in the English Premier League.

The physical All Whites want to avoid conceding away goals at Wellington’s Westpac Stadium, piling further pressure on a young Peru team already shouldering a huge weight of expectations.

Peru have qualified for the finals four times — 1930, 1970, 1978 and 1982 — making the quarterfinals in 1970.

New Zealand have made two finals appearances — 1982 and 2010 — exiting the latter campaign undefeated after three draws in the group stages.

All Whites coach Andy Hudson said New Zealand players were accustomed to travelling halfway around the world for matches but it would be a new experience for the Peruvians.

“Just the travel alone for Peru is a big thing — the jetlag, the foreign conditions — things that we are now used too,” the Englishman said.

Hudson may have inadvertently given Peru extra motivation by admitting they were always his preferred opponent as South American qualifiers went down to the wire with Argentina and Chile also in the mix to face New Zealand.