Uruguay target Copa America win

Montevideo, June 2 (IANS) Copa America's most successful team Uruguay will travel to the United States with the aim of extending that proud record during the centennial edition of the football tournament.

The team, 15 times champions of the continental competition, travelled to the United States on Wednesday, reports Xinhua.

Tournament favourites Argentina has 14 titles, Brazil eight, Peru and Paraguay two, respectively, while Bolivia, Colombia and Chile have one each.

The team now is in a good shape, standing top of the South American qualifying for the Russia World Cup in 2018. They reached the fourth place in the 2010 World Cup in South Africa and won their last Copa America trophy in 2011.

Uruguayan forward Edinson Cavani said on Wednesday the team is "preparing as if (Copa America) it was a World Cup".

Coach Oscar Washington Tabarez said the training environment "is one of excitement and companionship because when there is will, much progress is achieved".

However, some the team's main players are injured including Cristian Rodriguez, Sebastian Coates and star striker Luis Suarez.

The first two were replaced by Diego Laxalt and Gaston Silva, respectively, while Suarez is still part of the team but he will not play the first round matches.

As part of Group C together with Venezuela and Jamaica, Uruguay will debut on June 5 against Mexico in Phoenix, Arizona.

--IANS

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