Peru’s World Cup quest faces Kiwi test in Wellington

WELLINGTON: High-flying Peru open their World Cup playoff against New Zealand as red-hot favourites to win the two-leg tie and end a 36-year absence from football’s showpiece tournament.

On paper, it should be no contest tomorrow – “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 playoff history has overcome such a ranking discrepancy to reach the World Cup.

But Peru suffered a major blow in the lead-up to the first leg in Wellington when goal-scoring 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.

The South Americans have not qualified for a World Cup since 1982. The Wellington match will take place in front of a sell-out 38,500 fans with the return leg on Nov 15 at the Estadio Nacional in Lima.

The winners books a place in the 2018 World Cup Finals in Russia.

Peru have qualified for the Finals four times – 1930, 1970, 1978 and 1982 – making the quarter-finals in 1970.

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

Peru were fifth in the hotly-contested South American confederation but will undoubtedly miss Guerrero, who is serving a preliminary 30-day ban after testing positive for a stimulant.