Soccer-Bleak outlook for ageing Peru

SANTIAGO, June 6 (Reuters) - Although Peru surpassed expectations by reaching the Copa America semi-finals in 2011, any thoughts of a similar run this time around are likely to prove wildly optimistic. Coach Ricardo Gareca's decision to include old favourites Claudio Pizarro, Jefferson Farfan and Juan Vargas, even though they have featured little for their clubs this season, is a worrying sign about the standard of the new generation. Those weaknesses were on show last year when a team of home-based players slumped to a 3-0 defeat against England and a 2-0 loss to Switzerland on a miserable European tour. Gareca, an Argentine who was leading scorer at the 1987 Copa America, replaced Pablo Bengoechea in March and began with a dispiriting 1-0 defeat against Venezuela on his debut. That clearly persuaded him to bring back the old faithfuls even though their record for Peru has often fallen way short of their club form. Pizarro, for example, has mustered a meagre 19 goals in 71 appearances for his country, a sad comparison to his prolific record in the Bundesliga where he has the highest all-time total of any non-German player. Thirteen members of the squad are home-based, a worrying statistic given the poor standard of the Peruvian championship. Drawn in a group which contains World Cup quarter-finalists Brazil and Colombia, Peru's most realistic goal is to beat Venezuela and hope to qualify as one of the best third-placed teams. (Writing by Brian Homewood; Editing by Ian Chadband)