Bolivia’s national soccer team concluded their training at the Felix Capriles Stadium in Cochabamba (centre) ahead of the upcoming 2016 Centennial Copa America which will be held from June 3 to 26 in the United States.
The squad’s coach, Julio Cesar Baldivieso, regretted some players’ injuries but assured that he will be going to the U.S. with the best.
The coach told local media in Cochabamba that once they arrive in the United States he will start to look for his starting 11 that will first face the hosts in a friendly match.
Baldivieso added that after the match with the U.S. he will plan Bolivia’s debut in the 2016 Centennial Copa America against Panama.
The Bolivian squad will leave on Thursday for the friendly match in the United States which will be played on Saturday in Kansas City at 20:00 Bolivian time (00:00 GMT on Sunday).
The Bolivian team form part of Group D in the international competition and their first match of the tournament will be on June 6 in Orlando against Panama. Also in the same group are Chile and Argentina.
Attacking midfielder Samuel Galindo has injured one of his ankles and for that reason, the coaching staff are currently deciding on a replacement. Galindo, from Bolivian side Pertolero, was injured in a match against local side Wilstermann in Cochabamba on Sunday.
The tournament’s rules say that in the case of injury, a replacement can be chosen from the good faith list of 40 players which was originally submitted.
Before doing so, the Bolivian Football Federation (FBF) will have to send a report in English to the competition’s Medical Committee so that they can verify the seriousness of the injury and authorize the substitution.
According to the coaching staff, the replacement will be between Rudy Cardozo, Sebastian Gamarra and Danny Bejarano.
The South American team will be heading to the United States with new team members, including Bolivian naturalized Paraguayan, Nelson Cabrera, and forward Bruno Miranda.