Moscow, Jun 10 (EFE).- The Peruvian national soccer team arrived Sunday in Russia en route from Sweden to compete in its first World Cup in 36 years, its last appearance in the international tourney coming in Spain in 1982.
The Blanquirroja landed in Moscow, where the players and staff were welcomed by a large crowd despite the fact that local summer temperatures were unseasonably low.
In a sign of the emotion of the moment, the Peruvian team posed on the tarmac with the crew of the jet that brought them to Moscow from Gothenburg.
The team was then whisked to their hotel near Sheremetievo Airport on the outskirts of the sprawling Russian capital.
The Peruvians’ first training session, which will be open to both the press and fans, will take place on Monday morning at Khimki Stadium.
On this year’s World Cup roster for Peru are Lokomotiv Moscow star Jefferson Farfan, who this season helped the Russian team take the country’s soccer championship for the first time in 12 years.
Also due to get playing time in Russia is Paolo Guerrero, who will be able to participate after a Swiss court temporarily lifted the World Anti-Doping Agency ban imposed on him.
The Peruvians will make their debut this year on June 16 against Denmark, after which they will go up against France – the favorite in Group C – and Australia.
The Peruvians are riding a 15-game streak without a loss, but the Danes have a 13-game no-loss streak going at present, so the outcome of the match would appear, from that standpoint, to be a tossup.