Paraguay coach Diaz resigns, sources say
ASUNCION (Reuters) - Paraguay coach Ramon Diaz has resigned after the team’s elimination in the group phase of the Copa America Centenario, Paraguayan FA (APF) sources said on Sunday.
A 1-0 defeat by hosts the United States on Saturday ended Paraguay’s involvement in the centenary tournament following a 0-0 draw with Costa Rica and 2-1 defeat by Colombia in Group A.
Argentine Diaz, appointed in December 2014 charged with getting Paraguay to the 2018 World Cup finals, handed in his "indeclinable" resignation to APF president Robert Harrison in Philadelphia where the team played against the U.S.
Diaz, in his first national team job, steered Paraguay to the semi-finals of the Copa America in Chile last year but his record in charge is only three wins and nine draws in 20 matches.
He leaves Paraguay, who missed the 2014 World Cup finals in Brazil after playing at the three previous tournaments, in seventh place in the South American qualifying group for the 2018 finals in Russia with nine points from six matches, four points off the pace set by Uruguay and Ecuador.
Diaz, a former River Plate, Inter Milan and Argentina striker who as a coach won a record six league titles and the Copa Libertadores with River, would be holding a news conference during the week, the APF said.
(Reporting by Daniela Desantis,; Writing by Rex Gowar; Editing by Andrew Both)