Overview
- Peru beat Bolivia 2-0 in a friendly that ended the calendar with the first clean sheet of Mano Menezes’s tenure and a needed psychological lift for the squad.
- The team’s scoring this year has depended mainly on Jairo Vélez and veteran Gianluca Lapadula, exposing a shortage of reliable centre-forwards and raising questions about the long-term ‘9’ role.
- Menezes’s preferred 4-2-3-1 has prioritized defensive order and recovery but has failed to produce a consistent creative midfielder to link defensive midfielders with the attack.
- The coach will use the December 9 match in Cusco to trial younger players and evaluate attacking options before a planned high-altitude preparation tour in March 2027.
- Public and media reaction remains mixed, with critics noting low attendance and limited excitement for the team while commentators reference past highs such as the Gareca-era World Cup qualification to underline how far the rebuild has to go.